


A Twist of Fate

by siophiefandom



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F, paily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 15:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 80,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10993776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siophiefandom/pseuds/siophiefandom
Summary: This was supposed to be Emily's year. With a chance for a fresh start at Hollis College, she was determined to leave behind the shy, timid Emily of high school. But Fate immediately throws a monkey wrench into her best-laid plans. Paily.Originally posted to fanfiction dot net, May 1 - June 2, 2015  (One of my early stories, where they get together super fast!) :)





	1. The TA

"The Fates are against me. They hate me," Emily complained to her best friend as they walked to class.

This was supposed to be Emily's year. With a new start in a new school, she was determined to leave behind the shy, mousy Emily of high school and become a confident, self-assured college student.

But, right away, college threw her a curve ball. She and Hanna had followed Ezra Fitz's advice and registered early for Lit 132, so that they could get into Andrew Bolton's section. Ezra knew him from grad school. He was a great educator, and consistently got high ratings from his students. That's why his section was always the first to fill up. They were delighted to find out that they had made the cut, but, a week before classes started, they received e-mail:

"A Bolton is currently on leave. Literature 132 Section 09 will be taught by P McCullers."

They hadn't been able to find anything out about _P McCullers_. Ezra had never heard of him, and there were no ratings for him.

"What do you think that the 'P' stands for?" she asked.

"I don't know. Maybe 'Puke' or 'Pissy'"

"I think that it's 'Poindexter.' I'm so not ready for Poindexter McCullers today," Emily said, derisively.

Just then, a slim woman in black slacks and a cream button down down strode in front of them with a cup of Starbucks in her hand and some notebooks under her arm. She turned slightly to face them as she stopped to open the door to the classroom. "It's Paige, actually," she said brightly, asking, "And you are?" as she held the door open with a welcoming smile.

Emily was frozen to the spot. It wasn't just that Paige McCullers had overheard them making fun of her name, but Paige McCullers was a woman - a drop-dead gorgeous woman. Emily clutched her notebook tighter against her chest and hunched her shoulders slightly, staring at the floor. Hanna nudged her in the shoulder. Paige McCullers was still holding the door, and still waiting for an answer.

" _Sorry_ ," Emily finally said, in reply to Paige's question. "I'm very sorry!" She reiterated as she ran inside and took the first open seat that she saw, in the front row, in the far corner of the auditorium.

"She's Emily," Hanna said cheerfully, without a trace of remorse. "And I'm Hanna. It's nice to meet you." Paige nodded her head and gestured Hanna inside.

There wasn't an open seat close to Emily, and Hanna preferred sitting in the back anyway, so she set up shop in the rear of the auditorium. She was sure that Emily would be fine on her own.

Emily opened up her notebook and leaned over the desktop, drawing small circles on the inside cover so that she would have something to occupy her eyes to help her avoid Paige McCullers' gaze in the awkward moments between their first encounter and the start of the class. She looked up only when she heard Paige clear her throat to get the class' attention.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Paige began, introducing herself as a first-year grad student. _And there's that smile again._ Emily chastised herself for staring. But she couldn't manage to keep herself from staring when Paige McCullers went over to the board and began writing her name and office hours on the board, her well-toned ass bouncing up and down in her slightly tight slacks with each bold stroke of the marker.

Paige McCullers moved back to the head of the class and jumped up onto the table, folding her left leg under herself and letting her right leg dangle. Her every movement was so confident and self-assured. The hem of Paige's slacks rode up a little when she sat down on the desk, allowing Emily the view of a small tattoo of the Penn State paw-print on the back of her calf, just above the ankle. Emily closed her eyes and swooned a little, wondering to herself where else Paige McCullers might be inked.

Emily immediately felt a buzzing in her jeans and felt a rush of guilt before she realized that the buzz was only the phone in her back pocket. When she was sure that Paige McCullers' attention was elsewhere, she furtively pulled the phone out and slid it unlocked, muting it before she read the text that had just come in.

**Hanna:** icu!

Emily twisted her head and found where Hanna was sitting, staring down at her with a huge smile on her face. Emily shrugged her shoulders and shot Hanna a "what the fuck?" look. _What is she, five years old?_

Emily saw that Hanna was typing again, and she looked down at her phone anticipating Hanna's explanation.

**Hanna:** drooling over paige mc hottie!

Hanna included various heart emojis and a monkey with eyes bulging out of its head.

Emily felt all of the blood drain from her face. If Hanna could tell that she was staring at Paige, she realized that Paige must've seen it too. Emily lowered her head in embarrassment, focusing on a spot on her desk and allowing her long, black hair to dangle down and hide her face.

All of a sudden, she realized that Paige McHottie - _McCullers_ , she corrected her internal voice - wasn't talking anymore. And her heart started racing as she heard Paige McCullers' heels clicking in the direction of the desk where she was sitting. Then she saw three slender, well-manicured fingers descend on top of the desk. "Emily? Are you okay? Do you need me to open a window?"

Emily couldn't look up. Paige saw the curtain of hair that was hiding Emily's face swish slightly as Emily shook her head no. She tapped the desk one time before she walked away to address the rest of the class again. "I suppose that this is as good a time as any to point out that, if you ever need a moment to step out in the hall - to get some air or take a phone call or whatever - you're free to do so. Just be respectful of the rest of the class. Okay? So, we're not in high school anymore. You don't have to feel glued to your seat. All right? We're all adults here."

Emily didn't register any of that announcement. She didn't get much of anything that Paige McCullers said that morning. She would have to get Hanna's notes - as ridiculous as it felt to have to depend on Hanna for class notes - and do better next time. When she noticed that students around her were gathering their things, she started to do the same - until she heard her name.

"Emily," Paige McCullers said sweetly, "can you stay behind for a sec?"

Emily's heart rate tripled. She clutched her notebook tightly to her chest and went to the front of the auditorium, doing her best to keep her legs from wobbling. She was staring at the corner of the table from which Paige McCullers had taught most of the class, once more hiding her face behind her long, dark hair. _Why would she need me to see me?_ she wondered. _Oh, God - she noticed me staring at her_ _inappropriately!_

"Hi, Emily," Paige said, her tone friendly and non-confrontational. The rest of the class was filing out of the auditorium. Even Hanna had abandoned her. "So, listen. I wanted to apologize for the way that I called you out in class. I wouldn't have done it, but it really looked as though you were feeling faint."

Paige observed a small bob of acknowledgment in Emily's head, so she continued. "I hope that you don't feel uncomfortable because of what I overheard you and Hanna say earlier." Emily gave no response. She just readjusted the death-grip on her folders as she continued staring at the table. "Because it was really no big deal." Paige bent her knees and dipped her head, in a vain attempt to locate Emily's eyes. "Of course, if you'd feel more comfortable in another section, we can work on getting you transferred..." Emily looked up, her face still half-hidden behind her hair, and shook her head no vigorously. _Oh, God. I'm really fucking this up_ , she thought. Paige nodded with a smile, not that Emily could see. She reached out to place a comforting hand on Emily's shoulder, but thought better of it and switched to reaching for an awkward handshake instead. It _was_ awkward. And quick. Like first-time sex. And, like first-time sex, it left Emily's body tingling, yearning for more. She ran out of the room and leaned against the wall to breathe again.

"Kept after class by Paige McHottie!" Emily gasped and smacked Hanna sharply on shoulder for the way that she had startled her. And for having said "Paige McHottie" so loud that Paige couldn't have helped hearing. And for having sent the text that had gotten her kept after class in the first place. She grabbed Hanna by the bicep and rushed her from the scene, relishing the sensation of fresh air when they finally made it out of the building.

* * *

"So, I guess the Fates don't hate you after all, do they?"

Emily looked up from her comfort mocchachino, confused. "Why would you possibly think that?"

"Well, you wanted a new start, and BOOM! The fates drop Paige McHottie right in your lap!"

"Stop calling her that!" Emily scowled. "I swear to God, Hanna, if I slip up and call her that by mistake, I will physically kill you!"

"Whatever!" Hanna was undeterred from her theory. "You can't deny my point: The Fates must love you."

"Hanna, the Fates have nothing to do with this!"

"What? The Fates are only behind the bad things, not the good things?"

"Yes. For me, at least. They hate me. And, besides, they didn't drop her in my lap. I'll never even see her outside of class. Thank God."

"Well, what if I told you that the Fates put her at the table behind you, right by the door? And that she's staring at you right now?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Emily said, but she played along and slowly turned her head around, only to see that Paige McCullers was, indeed, at a table by the door and that she was, indeed, staring in Emily's direction. Smiling, in fact.

Emily almost got whiplash from turning her head back towards Hanna so fast. "Hanna!"

"What? You're mad at _me_ now?"

"YES! Why didn't you warn me?"

"I _did_ warn you! You just didn't believe me!"

"Shit. I told you that the fates hate me!"

"What? Why? Because they keep throwing you and the hottie whom you're crushing on in the same room?"

"Yes, Hanna! Putting us in the same room so that she can see what a dork I am. And so that I can see her obviously hot girlfriend."

Hanna looked back over at Paige's table. "That's not her girlfriend," she said confidently.

"How do _you_ know that?" Emily asked, annoyed.

"I can tell. They're not sitting together the way that girlfriends do."

"Hanna..."

"Besides, at least, then, you'd know that she's gay. 'Cause I don't care how hot that girl is, she couldn't compete with Emily Fields! Stop being such a pessimist!"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Stop being such an optimist," she said under her breath. "And, anyway, do you think that's the kind of girlfriend I'd want, the kind who would dump the girl she's with when someone hotter comes along?"

Hanna reached out and took hold of Emily's hand. With a very sincere look on her face, she told her, "It's okay, Em." Emily nodded her head at what she thought was empathy until Hanna completed her thought, "because there's no one hotter than you to come along!"

* * *

"Got a thing for the hot brunette over there?" Shana asked. "She's cute!"

Paige was drawn back into the present by her friend's question. She had, in fact, been staring at the brunette, but more at her body language than at her body itself. She was drop-dead gorgeous, but she was sitting slightly hunched over as if to hide that fact; almost as if she were ashamed of being so beautiful.

"No, it's not like that," Paige replied, finally turning her eyes and her attention back to Shana. "She's in my Lit section," she shrugged.

"Oh, that class that you got roped into TA-ing? It's not looking so bad now, is it?"

"You're such a perv, Fring. But, yeah - I guess that a little eye-candy never hurts."

"You need me to scoot so that you can lay that old McCullers magic on her?"

Paige laughed. "No, Shana. I told you, it's not like that."

"Well, she's obviously into you."

"Believe me, Shana, nothing could be further from the truth."

Shana patted Paige's forearm. "You are so adorably clueless, McCullers. Let me tell you a little something about women. When they catch your eyes and look away quickly, it's because they want you to make the first move."

"Not in this case," Paige said, shaking her head. "She's just - I overheard her and her friend making fun of my name outside of class this morning, and she was mortified. Honestly, I thought that she was going to pass out in class. She's obviously still embarrassed."

"Uh huh," Shana said without emotion. "If you want to believe that."

* * *

Emily lay awake that night thinking about things. Maybe Hanna was right. Maybe the Fates had put her in that class - and in the Brew this afternoon - for a reason _._ It may have been a good thing, she thought. She wanted a new start, and she wanted to be more bold. Perhaps, she thought, the Fates were giving her a gentle push.

She sat up in bed, not knowing what to do. She knew that she couldn't talk to Paige - not yet, at least. She would need to break the ice first.

She finally got out of bed and walked over to her laptop to design a card. She put an apple watermark in the center - _an apple for the teacher_ \- with the words, "Welcome to Hollis!" At the bottom left, she put the block-H logo of Hollis University, and, on the right, she put the Penn State paw print that she had seen on Paige's leg. _Too forward?_ she worried, but she left it.

Early Tuesday morning, she stopped by the department offices and left the card in Paige's box.


	2. The Dress

On Wednesday, Emily walked into class with a little more confidence, because, this time, she had Hanna to lean on. When Paige said hi, Emily was able to say hi back with a feeble wave, although she was hunched over slightly and clutching her notebook for protection, still unable to look at Paige when she said it.

She and Hanna sat together, a couple of rows back from the front.

It might have been Emily's paranoid imagination, but she was certain that Paige kept scanning the class to see who looked guilty about having left the note in her box. It seemed that Paige kept standing with her left leg in front of her right, self-consciously protecting her tattoo from leering eyes. Emily was sure that she was being paranoid. After all, she didn't know how often Paige checked her box - it was over half full when she dropped off the card, so she may not even have seen the card yet. Also, Emily hadn't put anything on the card to indicate that it had been left by a student - other than the apple and that, Emily reasoned, was pretty subtle. But, if Paige _had_ caught her staring at the tattoo on that first day of class, she feared that she would be Paige's number one suspect.

Emily decided that she needed to get an unbiased opinion. She hadn't told Hanna about the card, so Hanna wouldn't have been looking out for unusual behavior from Paige McCullers. After class, Emily asked her, "Did Paige seem to be acting a little strange today?"

"Yeah," Hanna replied enthusiastically, "strangely _hot_!" Emily rolled her eyes. "What's the matter, Em? Are you worried that Paige knows about your little crush?"

Emily was about to deny her crush, but, instead, she nodded, taking the lifeline that Hanna was dangling. _Yes. That's exactly what I'm worried about. Not the fact that I left a card her box because I'm too chicken to talk to her._

"Well, if she _does_ know, Em, that's a good thing! Be brave! Take a chance!"

Emily smiled and nodded her head. It _would_ be good if Paige knew that she was the one behind the card. Eventually.

She decided that Paige would get a card every week. She would be brave, but in her way and in her time.

* * *

"So," Paige started, as she slid into the booth for her weekly coffee with her friend, Shana.

"So," Shana echoed, smiling.

"So, are you the one I have to thank for that card that was in my box this morning?"

"What card?"

"Oh, I guess it wasn't you, then," Paige laughed, retrieving the card from her bag. She handed it to Shana, who read it with a smile.

"Cute," she said. "You don't know who put it in there?"

"Someone who knows that I went to Penn State?"

Shana rolled her eyes. "So, basically, anyone who's seen your office. Or your car. Or your backpack. Or anyplace else where you've plastered that damned Penn State logo."

Paige chuckled nervously. "Yeah, but… It's not just any Penn State logo. Is it just a coincidence that it's the paw-print that I have tattooed on my calf?"

Shana tilted her head back in realization. "Ohhhh! So, you think that you have a stalker!"

"I'm not going to make that leap just yet. I mean, it's a pretty recognizable logo. I'm just going to treat it as a friendly coincidence until…"

"Until you're face to face with some guy in a hockey mask with a meat cleaver?"

Paige shook her head with a sigh. "Until I have a reason to suspect otherwise, I'm going to hope for the best."

"Uh huh." Shana smiled knowingly. "And, by 'the best,' I take it you mean your gorgeous freshman?"

Paige couldn't help smile. "Well, I'd be lying if I said that the thought hadn't crossed my mind. But it hardly seems likely. I mean, she's never seen me outside of the classroom, so she wouldn't know that I went to Penn State."

"Unless she was checking you out."

"Please," Paige laughed. "The girl can't even look at me. She stares at the ground whenever I say anything to her, or when I even look in her direction."

"Yeah. And your tattoo is where?"

"Whatever, Shana," Paige sighed. "As much as I'd like to think that she's the one responsible, I'd have to put her at the bottom of my list of suspects."

"So, who are your other suspects?"

Paige sighed, leaning her head back. "Anyone _except_ Emily? Basically…"

Shana laughed. "What's with the apple?" she asked, pointing to the watermark on the card.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that, too. I figured whoever it was just thought that it was cute stationery."

Shana shook her head. "Nah, Paige. This isn't stationery. Whoever this was printed it up special."

"Yeah. So, why an apple?"

"Maybe it's a Robin Hood thing and your stalker is going to come after you with a bow and arrow."

"Maybe it _is_ Emily, and, you know – apple for the teacher."

"Oh, please, Paige. How old _is_ this girl?"

"Maybe she watches old movies? You never know."

"Is this your brain talking or your heart? Or maybe somewhere lower on your anatomy?"

* * *

"So, what are you going to do about your little crush?"

Emily's face broke into a guilty smile. "What crush?" she said, back to feigning ignorance.

Hanna groaned. "Paige McHottie? You're not going to deny the way that you drool all over her during class!"

"Hanna," Emily said trying to be patient. "I'm not going to deny that she's hot, but that doesn't mean that I have a crush on her." Emily was going to be more bold, but that didn't mean that she had to bare her soul to her best friend about this. Not until she had more of a reason to, at least.

She wasn't ready to admit anything to Hanna, but Emily actually _was_ planning to do something about her crush. She set herself the goal of maintaining eye contact with Paige during class; not looking away whenever Paige glanced in her direction. After all, there was nothing unusual about looking at the TA while she taught the class. Emily ended up giving herself a C+ on that one, and an E for effort. She had tried her best to keep her head up, but it only made sense, she rationalized, that she should look down at her notebook to take notes. Which she did every time Paige McCullers looked anywhere near Emily's direction.

But Emily decided to hold to her commitment to be bold and communicate with Paige McCullers, even if she could only do so anonymously. It had been a dreary Monday, but she had hopes of better weather on Tuesday. She put the cheery text, "Rainbows follow rain" on the card, with a picture of a rain cloud in the lower left corner with an "X" through it, and a rainbow in the lower right. She didn't think about the symbolism of the rainbow until after she had printed the card, but she shrugged it off. It was an appropriate symbol. If it screamed, "Gay Crush," so be it.

* * *

"So, I'm going to guess that your choice of that slightly tight, slightly short dress officially has nothing to do with your non-crush on Paige McHottie?"

"Hanna! Stop calling her that!" Emily barked, to give herself a moment to come up with an excuse for the fact that she had gotten all dressed up. It struck her that she really should have come up with an excuse for Hanna in advance.

"Don't try to change the subject! Just admit it: You're all dressed up for the hot TA!"

"No, Hanna. I dressed up because it's been raining and dreary all week, and I just need something bright and cheery to pull me out of my mood." _And if I can be Paige McHottie's little rainbow, that's just a bonus!_ Emily thought, chastising herself for thinking Hanna's nickname.

"Whatever you say, Em. So, we're sitting in the front row, I take it?"

Emily sighed, grabbing Hanna's arm and steering them towards two desks in the third row. Of course, she had dressed up for Paige McCullers, but she didn't want to throw it out there like some brazen tramp. And she didn't want to admit to Hanna that she actually _had_ dressed up for her hot TA. It was too soon. It would be too embarrassing if she found out that Paige was straight. Or involved with someone. Or just plain not looking for a relationship with a freshman.

Emily's goal for the day was to go up and ask Paige a question - any question - after class, just to show Paige (and herself) that she was actually capable of making coherent conversation. She thought that the dress would give her extra confidence: look good, feel good, as the saying goes. In the end, though, she had to give herself an F on that goal. She was just about to open her mouth to tell Hanna to go on ahead, because she was going to stay behind and ask Paige McCullers something, but then she noticed all of the people already lined up waiting to talk to Paige. _Seriously?_ Emily thought. _What could those kids possibly have to talk to her about? Oh._ Emily realized that were all lined up with the same intention that she had. There was no way that she could compete with all of them, she thought. And, even if she could, she wouldn't want to burden Paige with more unsought attention. She suddenly felt stupid for having worn that dress.

* * *

Paige slid into the booth where Shana was sitting and put her head down on the table, clasping her hands on top of it. "I have no business being a TA," she sighed.

"Oh, shit, McCullers. What did you do?" Shana reached a comforting hand over on top of Paige's hands.

Paige sat up, leaning her back against the back of the booth, her legs spread wide in defeat and vulnerability. She sighed again before speaking slowly and hesitantly, embarrassed at what she was about to admit. "Emily showed up for class today in this... short little number. Her legs are just... " Paige stared at the ceiling and shook her head at the memory. "And I lost it. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering over to her. And I couldn't concentrate. I have no idea what I even talked about for the entire 50 minutes of class. It's no wonder that half of my students were lined up with questions for me after the bell rang!"

"So, she's dressing up for you now?" Shana smirked.

"Dressing up for _somebody_ , maybe, but not me." Shana wasn't buying it. "What? First of all, even _assuming_ that she likes girls, she's _way_ out of my league."

"So, you're saying that she's hotter than me? Because _we_ dated, remember?" Shana joked, pointing her index finger between the two of them.

"Nobody's hotter than you, Fring," Paige played along. "But you and I had common ground. I didn't just meet you at a bar and start talking to you. How long did we swim together before I asked you out?"

"Don't wait so long on this one, McCullers. Somebody else will come and scoop her up! Hell, _I_ might even scoop her up!"

"Please do," Paige bit back. "Then, when she dumps your sorry ass, I can swoop in and clean up the rebound!"

Shana grabbed Paige's hand. "Seriously, though. You'd better take your shot."

"I can't just hit on her, Shana. I need some kind of set-up. An act of fate."

"You're going to 'fate' yourself all the way to a lonely life and a house full of cats, McCullers!"

* * *

Emily was trying her best not to be disappointed. _What did I expect,_ she thought. It wasn't as if Paige would stop class and ask her out on a date, or something. Still, it would have been nice, she thought, if she had gotten _some_ reaction from her TA. As it was, Emily felt like an idiot. Paige must have known that she was basically throwing herself at her; who dresses like that for class? She was sure that Paige thought of her as just some silly little freshman girl with a silly little freshman crush.

Emily groaned when she heard the doorbell. _Hanna._ They had made plans for Hanna to come over to study and have dinner, but Emily wasn't in the mood anymore. She heard her mother open the door and send Hanna upstairs, so she steeled herself for their study time, determined not to allow herself to be distracted or depressed about Paige McCullers.

"Okay, you're not allowed to dress like that for Lit anymore," Hanna said, without so much as a hello.

"Don't worry, Han. That's the last time that I'm wearing that dress to class." Emily's tone was sad and self-conscious.

"Well, good." Hanna was a bit surprised that Emily had caved so quickly. Still, she couldn't let it go. "Seriously, Em, what are you trying to do to that poor woman?"

"What poor woman?" Emily was genuinely confused.

"Uh - Paige McHottie! You can't tell me that you didn't notice?"

"Notice what?" Emily sat up, her mood starting to improve at the thought that her dress had made an impression, although she still didn't know what Hanna was talking about.

"The way that she kept stopping in the middle of class and blatantly checking you out!" Hanna paused, but Emily still looked as clueless and confused as she had at the start. "Seriously? Em, she would start to say something, then she'd see your legs, and she would be all 'um, uh, yeah, so,'" she mimicked in deadpan.

Emily rolled her eyes, but her smile was giving her away. She really wanted to believe Hanna, but how could that have happened without her noticing? Still, why would Hanna make it up? "Come on, Hanna," Emily smiled, "we're here to study, not talk about Paige McCullers!"


	3. The Cookie

Emily strode purposefully toward the department offices, clutching her books in front of her, with her latest note for Paige McCullers in her left hand. This was the third week that she had left a friendly note, each with the signature apple watermark, in her TA's box. She felt bold, cowardly, and sneaky all at the same time. It was all very "Spy Kids," she thought.

All of a sudden, Emily felt hands on her shoulder and heard the words, "Caught ya!" which startled her so much that she dropped all of her books. Hanna laughed at the reaction but, rather than help Emily pick up her books, she grabbed for the note that was still in Emily's left hand.

"What's this?" she asked, reading, "'Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin?' Emily, what _is_ this?" When the penny dropped, she gasped and said, "You're stalking Paige McHottie!"

Emily gave her a look of exasperation mixed with annoyance. "One, would you _please_ stop calling her that, and, two, I'm not stalking her. I'm just being friendly," she shrugged.

"Think about it, Em. How would you feel if you started getting anonymous notes?" Emily was mortified. She had never considered that her innocent act could be misconstrued. "How long have you been doing this?"

"Just once a week, for a couple of weeks," Emily said, now no longer confident about her strategy. "It started with 'Welcome to Hollis,' and then I just left a 'Have a nice day' card last week."

"Okay. I guess that it's okay. Just – be careful. You don't want her to call the campus police on you!"

Emily was genuinely worried, now. She hastily scribbled a note on the back of the card before she placed it in Paige's box.

* * *

"And why haven't you called the campus cops on this stalker yet?"

"Shana, it's not like that. They're just friendly notes."

"Paige, this is stalker behavior."

"Nope! See?" Paige flipped the card over to show Emily's hand-written note: "I'm not a stalker – just friend who wants to brighten your day. :)"

"Oh, yeah. Because no stalker would ever think of writing, 'I'm not a stalker!'"

"Oh, hush. It's sweet."

"It's sweet because you think that it's your little freshman?"

"Well, I'm about to find out!"

* * *

Emily's goal for the day was to say something - anything - in class, in response to one of Paige McCullers' questions. It didn't have to be anything deep or intellectual. The goal wasn't to win her TA over on the spot, but just to be able to act like a regular person around her.

Things went downhill rather quickly. Emily had no way of seeing the train wreck coming.

"So, we know that Melville was writing about obsession," Paige stated. "This is something that we can all relate to. Maybe we're obsessed with grades. Maybe we're neat-freaks, obsessed with order. Your obsession might be –" Paige flailed around, pretending that she was trying to come up with an example, although she already knew what she was going to say. "Oatmeal raisin cookies," she said, and Hanna gasped. Paige smiled up at her. "I guess we've hit on someone's obsession," she commented and the entire class laughed. Paige was laughing, too, although she was more than a little disappointed that it was Hanna and not Emily who had been leaving the notes.

The only one who didn't laugh was Emily.

Emily couldn't even grade herself on that day's goal. She was too embarrassed and upset. And she was beyond angry at Hanna.

* * *

"So, this Hanna has a thing for you, then?"

"No, nothing like that. I've seen her and Emily with some guy, and it's obvious that he and Hanna are together. As the card said, she was just being friendly, I guess."

"And you're disappointed because it wasn't Emily?"

"I'm disappointed because it's a reality check. I mean, I haven't had any indication that Emily even likes women. And, even if she did, why would she be attracted to me?"

Shana rolled her eyes. That statement was so ridiculous that she didn't even bother to argue it. "But, if you found out that Hanna _was_ gay, that would be good, right?"

"Please. If Hanna was gay, she'd be all over Emily."

"Maybe Emily's the straight one. Maybe she's the one dating the guy who hangs out with them."

"Yeah, maybe. I guess. Anyway, as I said - wake-up call. I have no business getting all hot and bothered about a freshman. Especially not one who's taking my class."

"Well then don't look now, but I'll give you three guesses who's walking by pushing a very pathetic-looking bicycle."

Paige turned around to see Emily, looking annoyed, pushing a bicycle with its wheel bent out of shape. Her jeans were ripped at the knees from whatever accident had messed up the bicycle. The jeans were probably ruined, but all that Paige could think about was how hot Emily looked with them ripped like that.

Paige turned back to face Shana with a half-hearted, embarrassed laugh. "Oh, fuck. Just go," Shana said rolling her eyes.

"You sure?" Paige called back, already halfway out of the door. She jogged up behind Emily and called out, "Hey, need some help?"

Emily was not in the mood. She had just had a fight with Hanna over Hanna's gasp at Paige's mention of oatmeal raisin cookies in class. The fight got her so upset that she wasn't paying attention, and she hit a ditch and fell off of her bike, ruining the bike, her jeans, and her mood.

Emily turned around with an angry expression and was about to sneer, "Does it look as though I need help?" when she saw the sweetest smile on her gorgeous TA's face and lost her ability to speak. She shyly dipped her head a bit, her expression instantly softening, and she nodded.

"It just needs a little adjustment," Paige said. "Do you mind?" Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed the handlebars, and, securing the wheel between her legs, rotated the bars until they were aligned with the wheels again. "I think that should do it." Paige jumped on the bike and rode in a small circle. "Yep! Maybe not as good as new, but it should be okay to drive." Paige pointed to Emily's ripped jeans as she hopped off of the bike. "Your knees okay?"

Emily nodded, smiling shyly, and reached out her hand, grabbing the bike by its saddle. She and Paige stood there for what felt like a day and a half before Paige remembered the discussion that she had just had with Shana, and what she herself had said about how stupid it would be for her to go after a freshman. "Okay, so, I'll see you in class," she shrugged, turning around.

Without thinking before she acted, Emily reached out for Paige's shoulder to stop her. "Hey," she said, finally looking Paige in the eyes and not looking away when Paige hit her with that beautiful smile again, "Thanks, Paige," she said, with a sweet smile of her own.

Paige bowed her head, overwhelmed by the beauty of Emily's smile. "My pleasure!" She turned and trotted away, amazed at how good it felt to have Emily's hand on her shoulder, and how beautiful her name sounded coming from Emily's lips.

* * *

Emily was glad that her mom was working late. She didn't want to have to explain why she was baking cookies - oatmeal raisin cookies.

Even though the next morning was Thursday and not her usual Tuesday, Emily stopped by the department offices to leave a card - with a cookie on top of it - in Paige McCullers' box. Emily's hands were trembling as she placed the items in the box. The card was much bolder than Emily herself was. It read, "Hanna's not the only one who likes oatmeal raisin. :)" The picture in the lower-left corner was of a bicycle. There was the face of a smiling girl in the lower right.

When Paige noticed a card in her box on Thursday, she smiled in surprise. Hanna had only left cards on Tuesdays up till then. Paige assumed that she wanted to explain her previous day's outburst. Paige's smile grew wider when she pulled out the card and saw the cookie in a sandwich bag that was stapled to the card. However, when she read the card, she let out an audible gasp. She whipped out her phone to text Shana.

**Paige: Need 2cu :)**

* * *

"Shit, Paige! What are you waiting for, a written invitation? 'Cause this is basically a written invitation," Shana said, waving the card in Paige's face.

"I know, Shana!" Paige whined, "but what do I do?"

"I don't know – grow some ovaries?" Shana was growing a little weary of her best friend's ineptitude. What was it about this young freshman who had Paige so far off of her game?

Paige ignored Shana's snide comment and continued voicing her dilemma. "I can't like keep her after class or look up her phone number on the student list – that wouldn't be ethical."

"Paige, she's doing her best. You've got to help her out, here. She's obviously not the type who's going to come up and ask _you_ out."

"I know, I know. I told you, I just need some excuse to talk to her, like - "

"Like her bike breaks down and you swoop in and fix it?"

"Fuck. Don't remind me. I wish I could have a do-over on that one."

* * *

Emily was jittery. It was too late to undo what she had done. Fortunately. If she had been able to take the card back, she probably would have, even though she really didn't _want_ to take it back. Her mind was going in a thousand directions. She was glad that she wouldn't have to see Paige McCullers until Monday, because that would give her - would give both of them - a chance to calm down and prepare themselves. On the other hand, she didn't know how she would survive the suspense of having to wait till Monday to see what Paige's reaction was. Leaving the card and the cookie had forced the issue. Paige would either have to ignore her (tacit rejection), shoot her down (explicit rejection), or make a move. Emily didn't know which option scared her the most. She did know that, if she didn't find a way to release all of her nervous energy, she would go out of her mind.

She went downstairs and grabbed her keys. Swimming was always a good way for her to clear her head. She headed to the pool at Hollis. There was restricted swimming on weeknights, but her high school swimming coach, Coach Fulton, had some friends on staff in Hollis' athletics department who got Emily on the list. It was a good time to go, because the pool wouldn't be crowded.

Emily stripped out of her warm-up suit, put on her cap, and headed out to the pool. There was only one person swimming at the time – someone who obviously knew what she was doing. Emily stood transfixed for a minute, admiring the girl's technique. _"She looks like someone who could teach me a thing or two - in and out of the pool,_ she thought, immediately chastising herself for perving on yet another hot stranger at Hollis. Maybe Hanna was right. Maybe Emily just needed to get laid.

Emily was still frozen in place and staring when the swimmer pulled to a halt at the opposite end of the pool and hoisted herself out. She definitely had a swimmer's body. Emily took it in and recognized it, with a silent gasp. The tattoo on her calf, just above her ankle, confirmed it. The swimmer turned her head as she pulled off her cap, and Emily panicked, diving into the pool immediately, before she could get caught staring.

Now it was Paige's turn to admire the other swimmer's form. Emily wasn't sure whether or not Paige was still there, or whether or not she might be watching – or why she even _would_ watch. Still, she did her best to put on a show for her, going through every stroke in the book in her best possible form. If she couldn't impress Paige McCullers with her social skills, at least she could show her that she knew her way around the pool.

Paige noticed. She knew exactly who it was whom she was watching. She was pretty sure that Emily had seen her climb out of the water. Would it look too weird if she jumped right back in? Would it be creepier for her to perch in the bleachers and watch Emily swim? Should she just go home? She knew what Shana would say. "How many times do you think that Fate is going to throw you guys together?" She had to do something. She jumped back into the pool.

At first, she was swimming in the opposite direction as Emily. Gradually, she moved closer, synchronizing with her so that she remained about a length behind, her head at Emily's feet. She was letting Emily pace her. That was an acceptable level of weird, she convinced herself.

Emily's body was tingling with anticipation. The butterflies in her stomach were keeping a much faster pace than the rest of her body was. But, she was a practiced, well-disciplined swimmer. She had swum in pressure situations before, and she knew how to keep her breathing and her pace steady. However uncomfortable she might feel in Paige's classroom, she knew that she could hold her own in the water. She wished that she could just keep swimming, but she knew that, sooner or later, she would have to stop and confront Paige McCullers.

When she came up to the end of the pool, she pulled herself up to rest against the ledge. When Paige pulled up half a second after, Emily asked coyly, "Are you following me?" She didn't know where her bold smile had come from. Probably the water, she thought.

Paige burst into laughter at the question, and Emily relished the sound. "Do you mean tonight, or just in general?"

Emily smiled. _Okay, this is definitely flirting, right?_ "Well, I was asking about right now, but is there something else that I should know about?" Emily asked suggestively. Paige raised her hands as if to protest her innocence, but Emily halted her by putting a hand on her shoulder. "And, before you answer, let me just say that I would have no problem with that."

Paige couldn't believe what was coming out of Emily's mouth. Emily couldn't, either. But, there it was, the confident boldness that she had promised herself at the beginning of her freshman year.

"How about you give me a chance to explain myself over a cup of coffee?" Paige offered. "When you're finished, of course."

"Oh, I'm finished," Emily asserted. After all, she was only swimming to get over her nerves about her next meeting with Paige McCullers. "But I don't really have any clothes. I - I mean, I only brought my warm-up suit with me."

"Same here," Paige said. "Which is just as well, because I can't afford to take you anyplace fancy," she smiled.

Emily smiled at the comment, too, but her smile quickly faded when she noticed that she had never bothered to remove her hand from Paige's shoulder. She tried not to make it too obvious - or to appear too guilty - when she pulled her hand away, but Paige noticed. She reached up and grabbed Emily's hand as it was being retracted, taking Emily's little finger in one hand and her index finger in the other. _What the hell is happening?_ , Emily wondered.

"So, listen," Paige said, trying to sound confident. "I'm going to swim a few cool-down laps. How about I meet you out front in about 10 minutes? Paige didn't want to risk embarrassing Emily by being in the locker room at the same time as her - or risk embarrassing herself by getting caught gawking at Emily.

Emily smiled shyly and nodded her head. "I'll be quick," Paige promised. She dove underwater before she could be tempted to ogle shamelessly as Emily climbed out of the pool and walked away from her.

Emily showered and dressed in record time, throwing her still-damp hair into a bun to get it out of the way. She ran to her car and texted Hanna.

**Emily: OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD! PAIGE MCHOTTIE IN THE POOL!**

**HANNA: OMFG! She still there? GO SAY HI !**

**EMILY : TAKING ME OUT FOR COFFEE!**

**HANNA: NFW! U BETTER TXT ME L8R! :D**


	4. The Date

Emily took a few calming breaths. _Nothing to be afraid of_ , she reminded herself, hoping to retain her new-found boldness even though she was now far away from the comfort and security of the water. When she saw Paige come out of the building a moment later, she honked. Paige smiled and waved, gesturing to her own car as she headed that way. "The Brew?" she called out, and Emily gave the thumbs up.

"Okay, so, first of all," Paige began as they settled into their booths, "I've got to know. Why an apple?"

Emily smiled. "Apple for the teacher?" she was about to apologize for the corniness when Paige fist-pumped as if she'd just set an Olympic record.

"Yes!" Paige shouted. "That's what I told Shana!"

Emily laughed inside at Paige's show of enthusiasm. It felt good to know that Paige had been talking about her with her friend. "So you knew all along that I was the one responsible for it?" Emily was trying not to let her embarrassment show.

"I _hoped_ ," Paige corrected, being honest. "But I couldn't figure out how you knew about Penn State, unless..." Paige dropped off and Emily gasped, covering her mouth with her hand and then burying her face in her hands. "So, _Shana_ was right!"

Paige gently pulled Emily's hands away from her face, smiling reassuringly at her. "I wasn't checking you out, I swear!"

"Of course not," Paige replied, leaning back in the booth, her smile turning cocky.

"I swear, Paige! I was so embarrassed by what you overheard Hanna and me talking about that I couldn't even look at you." Emily shyly tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Hey," Paige said, tilting Emily's head up so that she would face her. "You don't have any reason to be embarrassed. Okay?"

Emily nodded, really wishing that the upholstered booth would just swallow her up. At that moment, Paige found it almost impossible to resist the urge to kiss her. Emily picked up the look in Paige's eye, and the way that her gaze had drifted ever so briefly down to her lips. Paige licked her own lips with a shy smile before she finally looked Emily in the eyes again. Emily grinned back at her knowingly, her confidence given a boost by the cues that she had just picked up on.

"So, you're a swimmer?" Paige asked, rapidly trying to move on from what she had been caught doing.

"Yeah. I hope. I mean, I swam in high school, but I messed up my shoulder during my senior year. I worked with a physical therapist the rest of the year and all last summer, and I hope to be able to transfer into a school with a swimming program. Stanford would be my dream, but, really, just anywhere where I could get back to swimming competitively and, you know, help pay for college." Emily picked up on the expression in Paige's face and realized that she had been going on and on. She dipped her head apologetically. "Sorry – I didn't mean to launch into all _that_ ," she said, throwing up her hands in contrition on the last syllable.

"It's not that," Paige said, and hesitated. Emily looked at her questioningly. Paige paused and sighed before she continued. "It's just that I was kind of thinking that you were going to be around _here_ for a while," she said, not looking Emily in the eye.

Emily smiled and reached for Paige's hands. "Well, maybe I will," she said coyly. "I'm also looking at Penn, and Danby," she continued, pausing before she added, "if there's a reason for me to stay in the area." She smiled, biting her lip, mildly proud of herself for daring to be that bold.

"So, I've got nine months to give you a reason to stay in Rosewood?" Paige asked.

Emily leaned across the table, staring directly into Paige's eyes. "Somehow, I don't think that you're going to need nine months." She tilted her head, leaning back over to her side of the booth. She was enjoying this light flirtation. She was never like this, but, with Paige, it felt natural; unforced.

"Do you have any more tattoos?" Emily rushed to voice the question before she could chicken out.

"Nope! That was a one-off. It was a swim-team thing. We all got them to psych ourselves up for a big meet." Paige picked up on a slight change in Emily's expression. "Don't look so disappointed," she smiled, sending Emily into a furious blush.

"What brought you to Hollis?" Emily said, desperately trying to move on from that line of thought.

Paige sighed and thought it over. "I guess I wanted something a bit smaller, you know? Penn State was great, but it could be a little overwhelming. Not just the size of the place, but it's just _so_ Penn State. I mean, everybody was rabidly 'Penn State.' I am, too – don't get me wrong – but I just wanted a taste of something different."

Emily nodded in understanding. "So, why Hollis?"

Paige shrugged. "My friend, Shana, moved here after Penn State, so I figured what the hell? Hollis seemed as good a place as any."

"Yeah, I've seen Shana around The Brew a couple of times." After a silence, Emily asked, "So, are you two roommates?"

"Housemates," Paige clarified. She didn't want Emily to get the wrong impression, or to think that she was the kind of person who would ask a girl to coffee when she was already in a relationship. "Her aunt had the house in Rosewood. When she retired, she turned the business and the house over to Shana."

"The business?"

"Rosewood Costume Shop."

"Huh. Weird." Paige raised her eyebrows, not sure what Emily found weird. "No," Emily explained, "just that she has a degree from Penn State and she's working at a costume shop."

Paige laughed lightly. "Not _'working at,' 'owns,'_ " she clarified. "At least till she finishes her MBA. Then she may look into expanding the business or selling it."

"I didn't know that Hollis had an MBA program."

"Shana's doing it on-line, at Penn State."

Emily nodded. She was learning a lot about Paige's roommate, but there was really only one thing that she wanted to know about Shana. She took a deep breath before she asked. "So, do you two have a history?" She grabbed the zipper on her warm up jacket as soon as the words were out of her mouth, fixing her stare upon it as she slowly slid it up and down its tracks. "I mean, not that it's any of my business…"

Paige smiled. "You can ask me anything, Emily. And, yes, we do have a history. A brief history. Ancient history."

"Sounds awkward," Emily offered.

Paige shrugged. "We were friends before, and we're friends now. It was just one of those things that didn't work as more than friends." Emily nodded. "How about you? Any roommates that I should know about?" Paige asked with a smile.

Emily smiled, suddenly playful now that Paige was the one probing for information on _her_ situation. "Well, I'm actually living with someone, right now." Paige was caught off guard, but she tried to look happy for Emily. "She's older. I've known her all my life. I guess you could say that she's always been there for me." When Emily figured that she had teased Paige enough, she reached for her hand and confessed, "It's my _Mom_ , Paige! I live with my Mom." Paige pretended to wipe her brow in relief. "You didn't really think that I'd let you take me out for coffee if I were involved with someone, did you?"

"No. Well, I really hoped not. Unless you didn't think that this was a date."

Emily smiled to herself at the confirmation that she was on a date with Paige McCullers.

* * *

Paige noticed a light flick off in the back room. She looked around and saw that they were the only ones left in the place, other than the impatient girl behind the counter who had been trying to give them subtle hints. Paige looked at her watch. "Holy crap – I had no idea that it was so late!" Emily checked the time on her phone, also stunned by how long they had been sitting there. "I'm so sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to take up your whole evening."

Emily stroked a finger across the back of Paige's hand. "It's not as if I had anything better to do."

"Are you kidding me?" Paige smiled. "A beautiful, single girl like you?" she added softly.

"Well, maybe I'll have something better to do from now on?"

"I can pretty much guarantee that." Paige stood up and offered Emily a hand. "Come on. I'll walk you to your car."

"Oh, that's so chivalrous of you," Emily mocked, "considering that it's parked right next to yours!"

Paige walked Emily out to the parking lot. When Emily hit the button on her key fob to unlock the door, Paige reached around her and opened the door for her, closing it behind her once she was inside. Emily rolled down her window when she saw that Paige was just standing there staring down at her like an idiot, with a faint smile on her face. She smiled back at Paige and quirked her eyebrows, wordlessly asking what was up.

Paige shook her head rapidly. "Is it weird?" she asked. "I just – it feels as though we've known each other all of our lives."

"Yeah?" Emily said, staring at her fingers, which she was tangling and untangling in her lap. "Then I guess that it wouldn't be awkward if you gave me a good night kiss," she said, looking up at Paige ever so briefly before she returned her gaze to her lap. Paige opened the door and took Emily's hand to help her out of the car. When Emily was standing in front of her, Paige closed the car door and grabbed Emily's other hand as she leaned in for a kiss. It felt soft and delicate, as if Paige were pressing rose petals against Emily's lips. Emily let go of Paige's hands so that she could grab Paige around the waist. She didn't pull herself in any closer. She just rested her hands on Paige's waist. Paige picked up on the cue that Emily was in no hurry to end the kiss. She parted their lips only long enough to tilt her head for the next one.

Emily couldn't control the way that her hands roamed up and down Paige's back, and when Paige mirrored the movements on Emily's back, Emily moaned into Paige's mouth. She quickly backed away from the kiss, and Paige panicked. She had let things get too heated too fast. "I'm sorry, Em," Paige said sincerely. "I just got lost in the moment, there, for a second." Paige had retreated fully from Emily's body and was nervously trying to find something to do with her hands.

"Paige," Emily said breathlessly. Paige dipped her head, ready to take the verbal chastisement that she had earned. "Do you think that you could give me a ride home?" Emily asked, putting a hand on Paige's shoulder. "I can pick up my car in the morning."

Paige didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed Emily's hand and virtually ran to her car, helping Emily inside and getting into the driver's seat. She was about to pull out into the street when she realized that she had no idea where she was going. "Left out of the parking lot," Emily offered, pointing in that direction. She told Paige her address and gave her directions as they went.

Paige pulled into Emily's driveway and turned off the car. She took off her seatbelt and took Emily's hand in hers. She wanted to be sure that they were both on the same page. Emily gave her a smile and unbuckled her seat belt with her free hand. Before Paige knew it, she was making out with her freshman student in the moonlit driveway.

* * *

"Oh, shit!" Emily said when she heard the front door open and peeked out of the windshield to see Pam Fields step outside. Pam's arms were folded in front of her, and she was on her tiptoes, trying to get a look into the strange car that had been parked in her driveway for the past twenty minutes.

Emily gave Paige a quick kiss. "I've got to go! Bye!" she said as she opened the door and marched briskly toward her house with her arms crossed in front of her and her head down. Paige got out and walked behind her. She knew that Emily and her mother would need to talk, but she didn't want to make an even worse impression on Emily's mom by dashing off without a word.

"Good evening, Mrs. Fields," she said, extending her hand to the shorter woman. _Well, at least this stranger knows my daughter's last name,_ Pam thought.

"My name is Paige McCullers," Paige continued, "and I'm a graduate student at Hollis. I'm sorry for keeping your daughter out so late tonight. We were out for coffee, and I kind of lost track of time."

"It's nice to meet you, Paige," Pam said, not releasing Paige's hand. "And I'm sure that there's a clock on the dashboard of that car of yours," she added, giving Paige a pointed stare.

"Yes, ma'am, there is. I'll be sure to use it next time."

"All right then." Pam had made her point. There were no hard feelings. She was really happy that Emily had met someone. Especially someone with the good manners – and good sense – to come and introduce herself to her date's mom. "You have a nice evening, Paige."

"You, too, Mrs. Fields, Emily," Paige said, nodding her head in Emily's direction. Emily shrugged her shoulders slightly and gave Paige a shy wave. She and Pam watched Paige drive off, and Pam put her arm around Emily's waist, turning her around and walking her inside the house.


	5. The Next Day

Emily wasn't sure how much trouble she was in after her late night with Paige. Once she and her mom got inside the house, she looked at the clock and saw just how late it was – almost 1:00. She hoped that her mom would just send her to bed and put off the lecture until Friday, after she had some time to sleep on it.

"Okay." Pam sounded very serious, from that very first word. _So much for discussing it in the morning_ , Emily thought. "First of all, I need to be the mom here. I know that you're an adult, Emily, but you're still living with me. So, if you don't come home, and I don't hear from you, you _know_ that I'm going to worry."

Emily nodded her head. She knew that she should have called. "I'm sorry, Mom. I promise, I wasn't trying to sneak around. We were just having a nice time, and I didn't think about the time."

Pam nodded. "I can understand that, Emily. But you understand my point, don't you?" Emily nodded her head. "I didn't even know that you were going out tonight."

"I'm sorry, Mom. It wasn't planned. I just went for a swim – " Emily pointed out her warm-up suit – "and I ran into Paige at the pool. We just started talking, and she asked me out for coffee. The next thing we knew, they were closing down The Brew. We didn't realize that it was so late." Pam nodded her tilted head, processing this flood of information. "I know her from my Lit class," Emily added hastily. She didn't want her mom to think that it was some random pick-up. "She's... my TA," Emily confessed, and Pam winced at the thought of an older woman toying with her daughter's affections. "She's twenty-one," Emily added, picking up on her mother's reaction.

Pam chuckled slightly, relieved. "Well, she seems like a responsible young lady. You can tell me all about her tomorrow. It's late." Pam reached out to hug her daughter. "I'm honestly happy for you, Emmy."

"Thanks, Mom," Emily said as the two of them parted.

Emily sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to get any sleep that night.

When she got back to her room, she sat on the bed. She didn't know what to do first. Finally, she reached into her gym bag and pulled out her phone to text Hanna.

**Emily: ru up?**

Emily's phone rang almost immediately. "Are you just now getting home from your date with Paige McHottie?"

"Hanna!" Emily whispered, "I can't talk! I'm supposed to be in bed!"

"Well give me something, girl!" Hanna was whispering, too, although she didn't know why.

"We had a nice time."

"EMILYYYYYYY!" Hanna whined.

"Okay," Emily whispered. "She drove me home, and we made out in my driveway until my Mom came out to see what was going on. Okay?"

"Holy fuck, Em!"

"I know!" Emily squealed. "I've got to go, Han. I'll tell you all about it."

"I can't wait, Emily. I'm so happy for you."

"Good night, Hanna."

"Good night, Em."

Hanna had a million questions about the date, about what Paige was like, and about how Pam had reacted to catching them in the driveway, but she knew that the story had a happy ending, and that was good enough to hold her for the night.

* * *

After Emily changed and got ready for bed, she made it back to her room, to find a text from an unknown number on her phone:

**302*: Hi, Emily. It's Paige. Wanted to make sure that I didn't get you in too much trouble :)  
302*: Got your # from the class database. Hope you don't mind… Sweet Dreams.**

Emily smiled and read the messages over and over, running her finger across the words like a love-struck adolescent. When she noticed that the messages had come in ten minutes earlier, she felt bad. She didn't want Paige to think that she was upset with her for having gotten her in trouble, or even that she was trying to play it cool by ignoring her texts. She thought that Paige would, more than likely, conclude that Emily had simply gone to bed because it was so late. Still, she texted her back.

**Emily: It's okay. My Mom wasn't really upset. Just said to call next time.  
Emily: I had fun tonight! Thx. Good night.**

Emily muted her phone and put it out of sight. She didn't want to stay up all night worrying whether or not Paige would text her back. She was sure that Paige was already asleep, and, if she wasn't, Emily had given her enough to know that she wasn't upset with her, so that, if Paige _did_ text her again and didn't get a reply from Emily, she wouldn't worry. Emily was overthinking things, she knew. She just needed to turn off her brain and get some sleep. Friday was still a school day, after all.

* * *

Emily was trying not to get her hopes up for the weekend. Paige had her number, now, so maybe she would give her a call. She knew that she was being an idiot. It was too soon to expect to hear from Paige. She and Hanna were meeting for coffee after classes that afternoon. Maybe Hanna would be able to talk her down.

Emily had never been so grateful that she had only scheduled one class on Fridays. Ordinarily, she enjoyed the class, but, on that Friday, the class seemed to be dragging on and on forever. Finally, the class was dismissed and Emily was packing up and texting Hanna to let her know that she was on her way to The Brew.

Hanna spent most of the conversation with her mouth and her eyes wide open in shock. Her main contributions to the discussion were, "No way!" and "Oh my God!"

Emily was having a hard time believing the story herself. Just thinking about everything as she went over it with Hanna had her heart leaping into her throat and left her short of breath all over again.

"So, that's pretty much it," Emily said, staring at her hands as she twisted a napkin on the table between them and ripped it to shreds. "She texted me to make sure that I wasn't in trouble."

"You gave her your number?"

"No," Emily explained, pulling out her phone so that Hanna could see the texts for herself. "She got it from the class list."

"Ooh – creepy!" Hanna joked. She was scrutinizing the texts almost as reverently as Emily had the previous night – and much of that morning. She swiped at the phone a few times before she handed it back to Emily.

"Very funny!" Emily scoffed, when she opened the texts again to see that Hanna had added Paige's number to her contacts as "McHottie" with a heart. Emily didn't bother to change it, though.

"And your mom is okay with it?"

Emily nodded. "I think so. I mean, she had a minor freak out when I told her that Paige was my TA, but when I told her that Paige was only 21, she seemed okay."

"She's twenty-one?"

"And a half," Emily confessed. "She started kindergarten early. Her dad's the kind of guy who always pushed her, you know?" she continued, answering Hanna's unasked question. "Anyway, I'm going to be nineteen in a couple of months, so..."

Hanna nodded. "So why do you look so worried?" she asked, taking hold of Emily's wrist.

"Because," Emily sighed, not finishing her thought. Hanna leaned her head in towards Emily to prod her to continue. "She's never going to call me back, Hanna" Emily said in a low voice, looking dejectedly down at the pile of napkin scraps that she had created on the table.

"Are you fucking crazy?" Hanna asked. "Why would she _not_ call you back?"

"What if this was just some casual thing with an impressionable freshman? I let her make out with me on the first date, so now she can move on."

"Emily…"

"What? She's got the perfect excuse. 'Emily,'" Emily said, making her voice deeper to represent Paige, "'what happened was a mistake. It's not appropriate for me to interact with one of my students like that.'"

"Emily, you're just saying that to give yourself an out. You _know_ that she wouldn't have introduced herself to your mom, and you _know_ that she wouldn't have tracked down your number and texted you unless she was serious."

"So? She's putting in some work now. Once she gets what she wants, she'll be gone like yesterday's news. Hit it and quit it!"

Hanna smacked her best friend on the shoulder. Emily gasped and looked up at Hanna in shock. "You're being stupid, Emily! Don't fuck this up just because you're afraid that you might actually be falling for her. Yeah, it's scary to dive into the unknown, but it's exhilarating and exciting. You can be careful. You can protect yourself. But don't talk yourself out of taking that leap. Life's too short to spend looking out over the diving board and wondering what the water feels like." Hanna leaned back against the booth in disgust.

Emily slumped her shoulders and sank into the booth. She wanted Hanna to tell her to take it slowly, that she was right to fear the worst. She didn't want to hear that she might have an actual shot at something with Paige. Why get her hopes up only to have them dashed?

"Look, Emily," Hanna said gently as she held Emily's hands. "I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I just hate seeing you shy away from happiness. Okay – be cautious before you give your heart away, but don't go into this thinking, 'How long till she breaks my heart?' That's no way to live." Emily nodded her head. Hanna kept going on and on about what a catch Emily was, opening her heart to love, Paige wasn't a player. Emily wasn't really paying attention until, all of a sudden, Hanna's grip on her hands tightened. "Shit, Em!" Hanna said, tilting her head to the door behind Emily.

Emily turned her head around to see Paige and Shana entering the café. She pulled her phone out of her bag, using the camera to give her hair and make up a quick check. Hanna pulled her friend's hands away from her face. "You look gorgeous. Just make sure that you're ready up here," she said, tapping Emily on the forehead.

Paige spotted the pair sitting in a booth and steered Shana over in that direction. "Hello, ladies," she said, dripping with self-confidence before she introduced them to Shana – as if Shana didn't already know all about them. Hanna's eyes were locked on Paige, with an expression like that of a child meeting Barney until Emily kicked her under the table.

"Are you guys finishing up?" Paige asked.

"No. Join us!" Hanna volunteered, before Emily even realized what was going on.

"Sounds good!" Paige said. "We'll just order, and…"

"Sit! I'll get it!" Shana interrupted, nudging Paige into the booth next to Emily.

"I'll help!" Hanna said, leaping up and putting her hands on Shana's shoulders, letting Shana lead the way to the counter.

Paige chuckled as she sat down, brushing aside the napkin scraps from the spot where Emily had been sitting before she scooted over to make room for Paige. Before Emily knew what was happening, Paige was holding her hand on top of her thigh. Emily leaned in for a second, but when Paige ran her fingers through her own hair, Emily ducked away. "What?" Paige giggled, not understanding what was going on.

"Nothing," Emily said, with a confidence that wasn't there before Paige was sitting next to her, holding her hand, "I just thought that you were going to kiss me."

Paige used her free hand to cup Emily's cheek and pull her in for a kiss. "With pleasure," she said, once their lips parted. "I hope that you don't mind us crashing your coffee date?" Emily just rubbed Paige's shoulder in reply, and Paige responded with an "Mmmmm." Emily bit back a smile. She really wanted to lay her head on that shoulder, but it felt too soon; too public.

Hanna and Shana returned to the table and settled in. Hanna sat opposite Emily and put a cappuccino down on the table for her. Shana, similarly, put a latte and a muffin in front of Paige.

Paige was going on and on - telling Hanna and Emily how she had met Shana, or something. Emily wasn't really following. For some reason, the muffin on the plate in front of Paige had captured her attention. When Paige paused for a breath, she took a bite out of the muffin, then slid the plate in front of Emily without looking over as she resumed telling her story. Emily put her left hand onto Paige's kneecap and squeezed it in thanks as, with her right, she lifted the muffin to her lips for a bite. She had thought that she had been subtle about the muffin, and she actually had been. Paige was just tuned into her, at the moment.

After they drained their cups and engaged in a respectable amount of small talk, Shana found an excuse to leave, with Hanna following on her heels. Paige and Emily hadn't forced them out, but they were grateful for the opportunity to have some time to themselves.

There were a couple of things that they needed to talk through.


	6. The Complication

"So, did you get any sleep last night?" Paige asked guiltily, once she was alone with Emily in the booth.

Emily yawned, momentarily resting her head on Paige's shoulder. It felt good - to both of them - but Emily quickly lifted her head up and smiled. "Not enough, apparently!"

"I'm really sorry about that."

Emily rubbed shoulders with Paige to let her know that it was okay. "I'm not," she said plainly. "I had a great evening."

"Your mom probably doesn't want you to see me again."

"She was fine, Paige." When Paige looked at her skeptically, she added, "She really appreciated that you came out to introduce yourself. Plus, she was glad that you got me out of the house for the night, so." Emily played that last comment as a joke, not wanting Paige to know how pathetic her social life was.

Paige seemed hesitant. Emily could tell that there was something on her mind. She tilted her head and looked over at her questioningly.

Paige let out a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair before she looked over to Emily. "Emily, we... need to talk."

_And, here it comes_ , Emily thought. She let go of Paige's hand when she realized that she was still holding it. No need to be clingy. She was a big girl. She could handle what Paige was about to do. There would be little consolation in being able to tell Hanna that she had been right not to get her hopes up.

"We need to figure out how we can do this with me being your TA, so that it doesn't look, you know, fishy."

_She wants to figure it out?_ "Okay," Emily said, and Paige took Emily's hand in both of hers, fiddling with her tanned fingers under the table.

"Now, as I see it, we have three options. We can put our relationship on hold till the end of the semester..."

_Wait - did she just say "our relationship?"_

"which I don't want to do," Paige continued. "Or, we could keep the relationship a secret,"

_She said it again..._

"which I also don't think is a good idea. What I think that it comes down to is that you'll have to transfer into another section."

"Oh," Emily said, looking down into her lap. She really liked being in Paige's class. Paige made the class come to life. Emily wasn't the only person who thought so.

Paige read the disappointment on Emily's face. Emily wasn't trying to hide it. "I'm sorry," Paige said, trying to get Emily to look at her. "I know that it sucks. I just think that it might not look right. People might think that I'm giving you special treatment or that I'm not being objective when I grade your work. And, to be honest, I'm not sure that I _can_ be objective."

Emily nodded her head. It did suck, but she knew that she needed to keep things in perspective. What Paige was saying was valid, and, more important, she was saying it because she wanted them to be able to try at having a relationship. "No, I get it," Emily said, lifting her head with a sniffle as she began regaining her composure.

"I'm sorry, Em." Paige brushed her thumb across Emily's cheek. "I - I didn't..."

"No - it's okay," Emily interrupted. "I'm okay. I just thought, when you said that we needed to talk, that you were about to let me down easy." Paige's facial expression immediately turned confused. "I know, I know," Emily said, looking away. She suddenly felt three inches tall. "It was just one night,"she said, shaking her head. "I shouldn't be this clingy."

"Hey." Paige put her hands on Emily's shoulders and leaned over to look her in the eyes. "It wasn't 'just one night' to me, Emily," she whispered seriously.

Emily forced a smile as she wiped her cheeks. "You'd better not dump me now, not after making me drop my favorite class!" Paige smiled, hugging Emily for a long time. She kissed the top of Emily's head as she pulled back, but Emily wasn't finished. She pulled herself in close again, finally nestling her head on Paige's chest.

Emily's head sprang up with the sudden realization of where they were. She didn't mind being vulnerable in front of Paige, but she didn't want to put her emotions on display in front of the entire restaurant. "Paige, do you mind? Could we go somewhere a little less... public?"

Paige nodded, loosening her arm from Emily's shoulder. She got out of the booth and extended her hand to help Emily up. "Whoops," she chuckled, "I just remembered: Shana was my ride. Can we take your car?"

"Sure," Emily said. She fished out her keys and handed them to Paige. That wasn't what Paige had in mind, and yet it didn't feel weird that Emily would just hand over the keys to her car like that and assume that Paige would drive. It took Emily a second to realize what she had just done. "Oh - uh... do you want me to drive?"

"Nope!" Paige said, reaching for Emily's hand and opening the door for her as they made their way outside and to Emily's car.

Paige hit the button on Emily's key fob to unlock the door. She opened the passenger side and helped Emily inside. Emily noticed what she was wearing as she put her seat belt on and started to feel a little self-conscious. Once Paige was settled in behind the wheel, Emily spoke up. "I don't always dress like this," she said, shyly apologetic.

Paige chuckled under her breath and shook her head. "What?" Emily said, desperately grabbing Paige's arm. "I clean up pretty well, trust me!"

"Oh, believe me. I know." Paige lowered her voice as she confessed somewhat guiltily, "I was just remembering that short little dress that you wore to class last week." Emily buried her face in her hands and bent forward, embarrassed at how pathetically obvious she had been. "Hey," Paige said with a hand on her back, "I'm the one who should be embarrassed! If you'll remember, I couldn't even teach the class that day. My brain totally short-circuited every time I looked over at that side of the auditorium."

Emily sat up, using the hands that had been hiding her face to push her hair out of the way. "Really?" she said, biting at her smiling lip. "So my evil plan worked?"

Paige laughed. "You can't tell me that you didn't notice."

"Honestly, Paige, you could teach that class in Pig Latin and I wouldn't notice. I guess that it's a good thing that I'm transferring out of your section, now that I think about it."

Paige unbuckled her seat belt, leaned over, and started kissing Emily. Just as her hands started roaming, she pulled away. "Someplace less public!" she exclaimed as she put her foot on the brake and put the car into gear.

* * *

"If you don't mind, we can go back to my place - only because my car is there. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to… you know – take you back to my place."

Emily smiled. "I trust you, Paige," she said, resting her hand on Paige's leg. "I mean, you've been completely upfront with me so far."

Paige tried her best to keep her leg from quivering under Emily's touch. "I'm not sure that I trust _myself_ ," she muttered under her breath as the warmth from Emily's hand worked its way up her thigh.

As they drove along, Paige thought to ask, "I'm not taking you away from anything, am I?"

"Oh, you know. The usual Friday evening for a young single gal on the town. Washing my hair, singing karaoke into my hairbrush, lounging around in my PJs, pining over my hot TA."

"Well, I was going to ask whether or not you wanted to go for dinner later, but, now I'd kind of rather see _that._ "

Emily swatted Paige's shoulder. "Dinner would be lovely."

"Okay, so, let's go hang out at my place for a bit, then you can go home and change, if you want, and I'll pick you up for dinner. How does that sound?"

It sounded good in theory. In reality, Paige popped in a DVD, and Emily cuddled up next to her on the couch. Their cuddling turned into kissing, and, as Paige stretched out on the couch, with Emily stretched out on top of her, the two of them, sleep-deprived from the previous night, nodded off on the couch.

It was dark when the opening of the front door stirred Paige from her slumber. She smiled at the feeling of Emily's body on top of hers atop the narrow cushions of the couch. Emily's face was buried in the crook of her neck, and she had a fistful of Paige's shirt in one hand while the other hand rested flat against Paige's chest. The title menu was repeating monotonously on the DVD player. The theme song had been running over and over in Paige's dreams.

When Paige and Emily got to the house, Paige hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, because it was still light out, and the house was bright enough. When Shana got home, she wondered why the whole house was dark when she could see, from the glow of the TV, that Paige was there. Shana followed the TV's glow towards the living room, calling out, "Hello?" Paige quickly reached up to turn on a lamp and woke Emily, hoping to spare the freshman the embarrassment of having Shana find them on top of each other.

"We fell asleep," Paige said, stating the obvious when Shana poked her head in.

"So I see," Shana replied. "Next time, just put a sock on the door!" Paige hurled a pillow at her.

"What time is it?" Emily asked sleepily, reaching for her phone. It was only eight o'clock. It was too late for their dinner plans, but, at least, it wasn't so late that she would have to explain to her mom why she hadn't called a second day in a row.

"Rain check?" Paige offered. Emily nodded. "How about we just order a pizza tonight?"

"That sounds good," Emily said. "I just need to call my Mom."

"Good idea," Paige said, remembering how their previous evening together had ended.

"Oh!" Emily realized that the phone that she had grabbed was Paige's, not her own. She handed it over to Paige and started searching around for her phone. "It must've fallen out of my pocket while we were… when I fell asleep."

"Well, here," Paige said as she dialed Emily's number. When the phone rang, Paige reached under the couch and grabbed it. She looked puzzled for a second, and then she smiled, turning the phone around so that Emily could see the screen. "'McHottie?'"

Emily grabbed the phone from Paige's hand and hid it behind her back, as though it mattered, at that point. "I am going to _kill_ Hanna!"

* * *

After they finished their pizza, Paige was lounging on the couch, with Emily leaning into her, when Emily spoke up tentatively. "Paige? Don't take this the wrong way, and I'm not trying to be possessive or anything. I'm just curious: Before you and I started... hanging out,"

"Two days ago..."

"Right." Emily chuckled nervously. _It's only been two days._ Still, she continued. "Living in this house with your ex, did you ever get, you know, lonely? You know, like, you were watching a movie on the couch," _You know. The way that you and I just were._ "and all of a sudden…" Emily didn't finish. Paige sat up a bit. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business. And it's not as if we're dating. I was just curious."

"No, Emily, it's a perfectly reasonable question." Paige paused for a moment. "Shana and I – we were friends for a lot longer than we were girlfriends. Once we tried dating each other, it became pretty clear that we were really just good friends."

Emily didn't know whether or not to ask the next question. She had gone so far, though, that she figured that she might as well continue. "Were you ever lovers?"

"Oh, God no!" Paige said without having to think before she answered. She would have laughed at the question had Emily not been so earnest.

Emily nodded. A little bit later, she asked another question, not daring to look at Paige. "Did you date a lot at Penn State? I'm just asking. You don't have to answer."

Paige laughed. "I mean, I _dated_. Never anything serious."

"So, you were a player?"

"No, not by a longshot. I just didn't have a lot of time for a relationship, with swimming and my classes and stuff."

"And now?"

"I _definitely_ have time," Paige said in a sultry voice. "For the right girl, you make the time." Emily liked that answer. She rewarded Paige with a kiss. "Any more questions? This is fun!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Who doesn't like talking about herself?"

"Okay, well, did you ever date guys?"

"Oh, no!" Paige answered before Emily even finished the sentence. "I knew pretty early on that I wasn't interested in guys. Even before I knew that I was into girls. Before I even knew that it was _okay_ to be into girls."

"Hmmm," Emily intoned, nestling into Paige's chest.

"So, what about you?" Paige asked, flexing her shoulder to bump Emily's head up a little.

"Which question?" Emily smiled, sitting up slightly.

"How about boyfriends?"

"No, no boyfriends. I went out with a few boys, before I learned that I could say no. To a date, I mean. I knew how to say no when it came to my body. Lieutenant Colonel Fields made sure of that!"

Paige nodded in understanding. "Girlfriends?"

Emily let out a deep sigh. "Maya St. Germain, back in high school."

"Yeah?" Paige prompted. She could tell that there was more to this story.

"Yeah. Maya was – crazy. She wasn't the best influence on me. Like, she did drugs, and she actually got me to take a hit of marijuana. One time!" she added hastily.

"Before you learned to say no?"

"Well, I was saying no to guys by then. But, Maya just had this way about her. I don't know. It actually made it harder for me to come to terms with my sexuality, you know?"

"No, I'm not sure that I know you mean."

"Well, it was as if she had me under her spell. I never would've smoked dope, but I did with her. Before we even dated. Like, I barely knew her at the time. And, I never would've snuck a drink from my parents' liquor cabinet, but I did with her. So, when I started having feelings for her, I couldn't help wonder whether or not I was just getting caught up under Maya's influence again."

Paige nodded. "How long were you two together?"

Emily breathed deeply. "Not very long. She… she died."

Paige sat up and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Emily. I had no idea."

"Yeah. It was a mess," Emily said, sniffling a little. "But it's actually nice to be able to talk about it, so..." Paige nodded, gently caressing Emily's cheek. "My Mom never got along with Maya. She was sympathetic when Maya died, of course, but I could never really talk to her about it. And my friends – they all had their own drama going on, so..."

Emily let out a deep breath, looking at the ceiling to help hold the tears back. Paige gave her another tight hug. "Well, you can talk to me about anything. Anytime, Okay?"

Emily nodded and gave Paige's cheek a kiss. "Thanks. That means a lot. But I think that we've done enough talking tonight, don't you?"

* * *

"I feel so bad that you have to drive yourself home at this hour," Paige said, closing the driver's side door after Emily had settled in. Emily rolled the window down.

"I'm a big girl," Emily smiled. "I'll be okay."

"I know that you'll be okay. I didn't say that I was _worried_ about you driving at this hour. I said that I feel bad about it."

"Thanks," Emily said, leaning out of the window to give Paige a kiss.

"Call me - or text - to let me know that you made it home, okay?" Emily nodded and rolled up the window.


	7. The Mom-Date

Hanna laughed out loud when Emily called to yell at her for having put "McHottie" in Emily's phone contacts for Paige's number. "Why did you let her see your phone?"

"I told you - we couldn't find my phone, so she called me, and then she picked it up first. And I had forgotten about your little joke," Emily said, trying to sound annoyed. It couldn't hurt to have something to hold over Hanna's head.

"Oh, so what?" Hanna brushed it off. "So, she knows that you know that she's a hottie. As if that was a secret. And, besides, how is that bad? I'm sure that she has a cute name for you on her phone."

"After she saw 'McHottie,' she changed my name to 'Legz4Days,' in honor of that dress,'" Emily said, keeping up the mad-at-Hanna act as long as she could. Hanna burst into laughter on hearing what Paige had done, and Emily couldn't hold back her laughter any longer.

"I _told_ you that she loved that dress!"

"Hanna, she _really_ loved that dress," Emily asserted. "That's the main reason that I have to change out of her section!" The two of them burst into laughter again.

"So, you guys never got to go out?"

Emily shook her head, although Hanna couldn't see it over the phone. "She's taking me out tonight, though."

"Where?"

"She's taking me into the city," Emily replied, adding dramatically, "But first..." She paused, to add to the suspense.

"What?" Hanna asked impatiently.

"She's taking my Mom and me out for ' _Coffee_.'"

"Oh, no! Poor Paige! You couldn't get out of it?"

"It was _Paige's_ idea!" Emily laughed. "She feels bad that my Mom's all alone, since my Dad's in Texas."

"Oh, my God, Em!"

"Right?"

"So, what did your mom say?"

"So, I told Paige, 'My Mom's not going to want to go out with us. She never does coffee,' and, so, of course, my Mom's all, 'Oh, that sounds nice! It'll be good to get out of the house, I wouldn't mind getting to know Paige!'"

* * *

Emily couldn't stop smiling over coffee. She couldn't believe how well Paige and her mom were getting along. It was like friend with friend, not like a mom with her daughter's date. Emily knew about Paige's outgoing personality from the way that she taught her Lit class, but seeing her interact with her mom was a revelation.

Pam excused herself to freshen up, and, as soon as she was out of sight, Emily leaned over to kiss Paige.

"What's that for?" Paige asked, as if she didn't know.

"Thank you," Emily said simply. "I'll admit that I was skeptical about going out with my Mom, but I can see that it really means a lot to her. So, thank you."

"About that," Paige said, turning away from Emily's eyes before she continued. Emily wasn't used to seeing her unsure of herself like this. She squeezed Paige's thigh and dipped her head, looking questioningly into Paige's eyes. "Well, I know that tonight was supposed to be our night out, and I know that we already had to take one raincheck, but…"

Emily grabbed Paige for another kiss. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

"I just thought that – you know, she might want to get out of Rosewood and have a nice night out."

Emily laughed. "Paige, I already said that it's a great idea!"

Paige got up to call the restaurant and change the reservation. Pam looked puzzled when she returned to the table to see Emily by herself. "Was it something that I said?" she joked.

"Paige went to call the restaurant. We were hoping that you would join us for dinner in Philly tonight?"

"Oh, Emmy! I don't want to be a third wheel! You didn't have to make Paige invite your old mother along!"

"It was _Paige'_ s idea, Mom! She thought that it would be nice for you to get out of Rosewood for the night."

Pam smiled. She agreed: It _would_ be nice. "Well, I wouldn't want to hurt Paige's feelings," she concluded, and she and Emily laughed.

* * *

Dinner in Philadelphia went well. It felt like a girls' night out. Emily and her mother had a relationship that was, in some ways, more like friends than mother-daughter, now that Emily was basically an adult. Emily didn't realize how much she had missed hanging out with her mom. It helped that Paige fit right in.

Paige stepped inside when she dropped Pam and Emily off at home. "Thanks so much, girls," Pam said as she hugged her daughter, then Paige. "It was a great night. I'm heading up to bed. Don't you two stay up too late." It was her first motherly statement of the night. As she headed for the stairs, she turned around, looked up at the ceiling, and added, "Oh, what the hell? Tomorrow's Sunday. Stay up as late as you want! You can sleep in."

The three of them exchanged good-nights, and Emily led Paige by the hand to the couch in the living room. She sat her down and gave her a kiss before she settled in underneath Paige's arm.

"This was fun, tonight. I'm glad that your mom came out with us," Paige said.

"Thanks so much for inviting her, Paige. I really thought that it was going to be awkward and uncomfortable, but she enjoyed it so much. _I_ enjoyed it so much!"

"I'm glad," Paige said, kissing the top of Emily's head. "I just – I know what it's like, you know? Shana tends to go out a lot; not just on dates, but that's just her lifestyle. Sometimes, it gets lonely being the only one staying home." Emily nodded. "And it's good to connect with parents – family."

"Yeah, my Mom and I usually have brunch together on Sundays," Emily said, agreeing with Paige's point. "Hey – maybe you could join us once in a while!"

"That would be great," Paige said, sincerely. After a moment, she continued, "It's weird that I've only known you since the beginning of the year, and this is only our third date. It feels so natural, you know? We have a real connection."

Emily started to panic a little inside. She could see where this was heading. She had felt pressured into things with Maya. Even though they never went all the way, she had gone further with Maya than she had felt comfortable going. "You think so?" Emily said, putting her guard up.

"Don't you? I mean, sometimes, it even feels as if I know what you're thinking."

_Oh, she's smooth,_ Emily thought. But Emily wasn't that impressionable little high school girl who couldn't stick up for herself anymore. She turned slightly in her seat to look at Paige. "Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

"Actually, I think I do," Paige said, gently taking Emily's hand. "And, don't worry, Em. That's not what this is about. I want us to get to know each other - really get to know each other. I want us to go through every progression of our relationship. The last thing that I would want to do is rush into something that neither one of us is ready for. And, Emily," she added, putting her hands on Emily's shoulders and looking deeply into her eyes, "I would never try to talk you into doing something that you weren't ready for."

Emily looked down into her lap. "I know that, Paige," she said, looking up at her again. In her heart, she knew that Paige wouldn't push her. "It's really good to hear it, though." She leaned in and gave Paige a deep, lingering kiss. It was a kiss that was as full of trust as it was of passion. Although she knew that she wasn't ready, and – as Paige herself had said – that Paige wasn't either, Emily knew at that moment that she could entrust herself fully to Paige, both now, and when the time was right.

* * *

Emily enjoyed Sunday brunches with her mother. They enjoyed the time that they spent preparing the food together as much as or more than they enjoyed sitting down to eat it. Over the years, they had honed their kitchen craft together, and they had fun bantering with and playing off one another.

Once they got everything on the table and sat down, Pam turned a bit more serious. "So, Emily. I talked to your father last night."

' _My father,'_ Emily thought. This _was_ serious. She was pretty sure that it had to be about Paige.

Pam reached out and took Emily's hand. "Emily, we know that you're an adult, and that, if you went away to college, as you had originally planned, you would be on your own. Probably with a roommate, but not with the two of us watching over you."

Emily nodded, bracing herself for the "be responsible and make good choices" speech. She could tell her mom honestly that Paige wasn't like that, and that they both knew that they weren't ready.

"So, I didn't stay in Rosewood because your father and I thought that you needed a parent. I stayed because we didn't want you to be all alone. I mean, Hanna's here, but, let's face it, Hanna is Hanna."

Emily smiled a little, puzzled at what the point of this conversation was.

"But, now you've got Paige. And I know that it's only been a week, but I can tell that she's going to be around for a while." Pam paused. "If I'm wrong, you can tell me."

Emily shook her head. Her mom wasn't wrong. She just wanted her to get to the point.

"So, your dad and I talked, and we're thinking that maybe it's time that I joined him in Texas. If you're comfortable with that."

Emily stood up and gave her mother a hug. "I'm so happy for you and Dad," she said. She was being honest. She wasn't in a rush to get her mother out of the house, but she was glad that her mom and dad would be together. It was obvious how much the two of them missed that. And, now that Pam had admitted that she had only stayed so that Emily wouldn't feel alone, Emily would have felt guilty, had she continued in Rosewood just for Emily's sake.

"We'll be back in the spring when you start looking at colleges, don't worry."

"I'm not worried, Mom. And I'll see you before then, too – for Thanksgiving and Christmas."

Pam gave Emily a guilty look as Emily sat down. "What is it?" Emily asked.

"Well, I told your father that I could wait till after Christmas to go, when he and I could fly back to Texas together, but he said, 'Why wait?' So…"

Emily smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, Mom. Really, I'm so happy for you."

* * *

Paige was smiling smugly on the other side of the table after Emily shared the news that her mother was heading to Texas to be with her father.

"What?" Emily asked, even though she had a pretty good idea why Paige was gloating.

"I'm just saying – I must've made quite an impression on your mom if she decided after a week that she can move to Texas and leave you in my capable hands!" Emily just rolled her eyes. "I'm kidding, of course, Em. Your mom and dad must've been discussing this for a while. I'm just the excuse."

Emily shrugged her shoulders, sighing deeply. Paige gave her a concerned look. "What is it, Emily? Are you worried about how fast things are moving between us?"

Emily took another deep breath and looked into the eyes that were staring intently back into hers. She could see the love and concern in Paige's eyes, and she knew that she could trust her with the truth. "It's not that," she admitted. "not at all. It's just…" She paused. "Okay, Paige. You'd better not laugh." Paige furrowed her brow in concern and shook her head slightly. Of course, she wouldn't laugh. "I would never tell my Mom, because I know that she deserves to go and spend time with my Dad, but it's just scary being in that big house all by myself." Emily was stirring her half-empty coffee cup, giving her eyes something to focus on, too embarrassed to meet Paige's gaze. "It's spooky," she added, hoping that Paige wouldn't think that she was a big chicken.

"Hey, Emily." Paige grabbed Emily's hands. "You know that I'm just a phone call away."

Emily smiled weakly, nodding her head. She wasn't about to call her TA – or girlfriend – or whatever they were, now, crying because she missed her mommy.

"How about if I came and slept on the couch for the first couple of nights?"

Emily couldn't believe how sweet Paige was being. "I could never ask you to do that, Paige," she said.

"No, but if I asked, could you say yes?" Paige realized that Emily's reluctance might be something more than not wanting to impose on Paige. "Or, maybe Hanna could stay over? That might be an easier sell to your parents?"

Emily shook her head. "Hanna would never. Not unless Caleb came with her. And I know that my parents wouldn't go for having both of them live here. Besides," Emily reasoned. "I'm a big girl. I have to learn how to live by myself sooner or later."

"Says who?" Paige said, taking hold of both of Emily's hands. "Emily, as long as I'm around, you're not going to have to worry about being alone."

Emily smoothed a hand through Paige's hair. That sounded so good, but it still didn't feel right to ask her to stay over. "Thanks, Paige," she smiled, "That really means a lot."


	8. The Changes

The next three weeks seemed to drag by, but, before Emily realized it, they were coming to a close. She had transferred out of Paige's section. Hanna transferred with her, for moral support, although she had been perfectly happy in Paige's class. Emily spent as much time as she could with her mother, not having realized how much she was going to miss her until the prospect of Pam's leaving became real as the day approached. Paige joined them for one of their Sunday brunches, but she realized that it would be better for Emily to have that time alone with her mom, while she still could.

Paige worked tirelessly Thursday night into Friday morning helping Pam organize and pack. It was her first time sleeping over in the old Fields house.

Paige drove Pam and Emily to the airport and parked the car while Emily went in with her mother. Paige joined them outside the security area and was there to support Emily through the tearful good-bye. Afterwards, she took Emily back to Shana's house and made her dinner. Emily worked on a paper when they finished eating, and, when her work was done, Paige asked her to stay and watch a DVD. Emily had a pretty good idea what Paige was doing – keeping her occupied until it got to be too late for her to go home. She appreciated the gesture.

Yes, Emily had to grow up. But not that night.

* * *

Paige handed Emily some clothes to sleep in and showed her where the towels were. She gave Emily a spare toothbrush from her collection. Paige seemed to be almost obsessive in stockpiling toiletries. She could have opened up her own drug store, Emily thought, with all the supplies in her medicine cabinet. Emily shot her a questioning look. "What? I don't like running out of stuff!"

Paige hung around in the bedroom to tuck Emily in and give her a kiss good-night. As she stood up to head for the couch in the living room, Emily grabbed her arm and gave her a pitiful pout. "Are you sure?" Paige asked tentatively, even as the half-smile on her face gave her true feelings away. Emily nodded, lifting up the covers and making some room. When Paige climbed in, Emily rolled over, making Paige the big spoon.

Paige was fidgeting nervously, like a child in a small room of a stained glass museum - not wanting to get too close and touch something that she shouldn't, fearful that something might break. After a minute or so of sensing Paige's restless movements behind her, Emily turned around, giving her a "What the hell is wrong with you?" look as she grabbed Paige's arm and pulled it around her waist, backing up into her so that they were fully spooned up.

Paige didn't know what she was so worried about. It felt so natural to have her body and Emily's together like this. It certainly wasn't the most intimate that they had been with each other. It was the first time that they had been that intimate in bed, though. For the night. _Oh yeah_ , she realized _._ _That_ was why she was so nervous.

Emily had no such qualms. She slept like a baby. She trusted Paige completely; more than Paige trusted herself. Of course, Paige had nothing to worry about. She was there because Emily needed her there; nothing more, nothing less. She finally allowed herself to drift off to sleep, her gentle snoring against the back of Emily's neck ultimately tickling Emily to the point that it woke her up. She smiled, turning around and caressing Paige's cheek. She never could have predicted how this year would play out. She never could have hoped to be so lucky. She kissed Paige's lips gently, careful not to wake her up, before she turned back over and settled into Paige's arms again.

* * *

"Did I tell you that I talked with my parents today?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. My Mom's so happy to be in Texas with my Dad. - I could hear it in her voice."

"Why are you trying to change the subject, Em?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, every time that I ask you about when you're going to start up with your training again, you suddenly find something else to talk about."

Emily let out a breath. "I'm not sure that I _am_ going to," Emily said softly to her coffee cup.

"What?" Paige said, surprised.

"I said..."

"I heard you, Emily. This is just kind of out of the blue." Paige was caught off guard. It must have come off as annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Paige," Emily spat angrily. "I'm sorry if I'm not living up to your expectations. I'm sorry if a girl who doesn't swim competitively and goes to Hollis isn't good enough for you!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Paige was about to argue back at Emily, but she took a breath and calmed down. "Emily," she said gently, afraid to reach for Emily's hand. She knew that Emily's guard was up, and she feared that Emily would only jerk her hand away. "That's not really fair, is it? Where is this coming from?"

Emily was silent. Paige waited, sensing that Emily was trying to step back from the emotional precipice. "I'm just not sure that I want to go back to swimming, that's all."

"Okay - that's valid," Paige said calmly. She wanted Emily to know that she was listening before she prodded further. "And I'll support you in that. You just have to understand, Emily, that this is the first time that I'm hearing this, so it's only natural that I would want to know why things changed."

Emily looked up at the ceiling, collecting herself. "Okay. Here's the thing, Paige. When Maya died, swimming became an escape for me. It was something that I could focus on and pour all of my energy into while I was working through everything."

Paige nodded in understanding. She remembered that Emily had told her that she didn't have anyone to talk to about losing Maya. "That must have been so hard for you," she said, finally sensing that it was safe to reach for Emily's hand.

Emily nodded, using the back of her other hand to wipe her eyes. "And, I guess, maybe," Emily shrugged, "I don't need an escape anymore."

Again, Paige nodded. "I get that, Em. I really do. And you can tell me to fuck off, but I just want to know - not for me, but for you. I mean, you're obviously really good in the water. Are you sure that you're ready to give it up?"

Emily tightened her grip on Paige's hand, tilting her head back in an attempt to keep it together. "I don't want to lose you, Paige." Paige looked at her confused, but, before she could say anything, Emily continued. "It was really hard on Maya when I was swimming - all the hours training, having to stay on top of my eating and sleeping habits. And Maya couldn't handle that. And she couldn't handle all the times that I had to go to parties or whatever with the team. Well, you know how it is. You told me that you didn't have time for a relationship at Penn State. Is that why you and Shana didn't work out?"

Paige smiled slightly, although the conversation didn't call for it. "Shana was on the swim team, too," she explained. Paige let go of Emily's hand to brush the hair away from Emily's face. "Listen, Emily," she said soberly, her hand remaining on Emily's cheek as she stared intently into Emily's eyes, "I'm not going to tell you that you have to think about yourself and not worry about what happens between us, because, in all honesty, I don't want to lose you, either. All that I can tell you is that you're _not_ going to lose me." Paige leaned her face in to show Emily that she was serious.

Once again, Emily tilted her head back to keep the tears at bay. At that moment, she knew that Paige meant what she was saying; even more, deep down, she knew that it was the truth, and that knowledge overwhelmed her.

"I see this as something that we could do together. I could train with you - hold myself to the same diet and schedule. After all, I need to do _something_ to stay in shape."

Emily smiled, in spite of herself. Paige continued. "I'm sorry. We don't need to talk about this now - or ever. I do think, though, that you need to talk to your parents about it, before too long. If you don't tell them what you've decided until it's too late to change things, that wouldn't really be fair to them, you know?" Emily nodded. "And I'll just say one more thing before I shut up. Emily, whatever you decide, it has to be for you. I'm going to support you, whatever decision you make. Your parents will, too. We may try to point out some different opinions for you to consider, but that's only because we want you to make the best possible decision for _you_ , because we love you." Emily snapped to attention on hearing that, and a smile stretched across her face. "Okay," Paige said, realizing what had just slipped out, "I probably should have said that in a more romantic moment, but," she shrugged her shoulders, "it's the truth."

Emily got up to give Paige a hug and kiss. "I love you, Paige," she said, kissing her again. "I kind of wanted to be the first person to say it, though."

Paige smiled. "Well, technically, you were. I said _'We_ love you.'"

"Well then, aren't you supposed to say that you love me back?" Emily teased, twisting a strand of Paige's hair through her fingers.

Paige put her hands behind Emily's head and pulled her in for another kiss. "I love you back, you big goof."

"What? I like hearing it," Emily said with a shy grin.

Paige chuckled. "And I like saying it."

"So, Paige," Emily said without looking up. "I've been thinking. Why don't you move into my house?"

These were among the last words that Paige was expecting to hear from Emily's lips.

"I mean, it's almost as if we're married already. We sleep in the same bed with no sex," Emily continued, to take some of the pressure off of the discussion.

"Ha ha," Paige said dryly. "Em, you'd need to talk to your parents first. I'm not going to do anything behind their backs."

Emily finally looked up at Paige, with an annoyed expression. "I already talked to them. I told them that I've been sleeping over with you, because I didn't want to be in this house by myself. I told them them that nothing was going on - and that you offered to sleep on the couch when I first stayed over."

Paige exhaled, visibly relieved at that last statement. "Oh, thank God." She didn't need to have Pam and Wayne thinking that she had swooped in to take advantage of their daughter the moment that Pam left her all alone. "And they're okay with it?" Emily nodded her head, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "And _you're_ okay with it?"

Emily smiled and nodded her head eagerly before it occurred to her that there might be a reason that Paige was raising so many objections. "Are _you_ okay with it?"

Paige sat up in her seat and leaned forward. "Am I okay with moving in with my hot girlfriend? Oh, hell yes!"

"What about Shana?"

"Between you and me, I think that she'll be happy to see me go. I mean - not that I'm difficult to live with, don't worry. Just that I think that I'm kind of cramping her style. If you know what I mean." Paige raised her eyebrows suggestively, in case there was any chance that Emily hadn't picked up on what she was implying.

"What about Thanksgiving?"

"What about it?" Emily echoed.

"Well, it's one thing to let your daughter's girlfriend stay over when you're thousands of miles away, but what about when we're all under the same roof?"

"Well, that depends," Emily said, leaning back and pretending to think it over. "You're not a screamer, are you?"

Paige's eyes widened in shock. She had all but forgotten the shy Emily who couldn't look her in the eye for the first week of class, but she had never seen any hint of this bold Emily before. "I'm kidding!" Emily said, embarrassed, grabbing Paige's arm for reassurance.

"I know, Emily! I was just shocked, because I've never seen this side of you before."

Emily hid her face. "I'm sorry," she said, chastened.

"And I like it!" Paige lifted Emily's head and gave her a kiss that showed her just how much she liked it.

Emily sighed. "And you're sure that you're okay waiting?"

"Emily," Paige said seriously, "I'm in this for the long haul. So what if I have to wait a few more hours for you to be ready to give in to me?" She braced herself for the slapfest that she knew was coming. "No, seriously, Em. I love you. I'm not worried about sex. I'm in this for you and me. You and I, we're going to be epic together." Emily smiled, and Paige gave her a quick kiss. "And I'm not ready until we're both ready."


	9. The Training

Paige snoozed her alarm. It was way too early. And she was alone in the bed, to her surprise. She looked up to see Emily flitting around the room, gathering her gear for the pool. It had to be adrenaline, she thought; the rush of getting back to swimming. If Emily turned out to be one of those perky early risers, it was going to be a long year.

Even though Emily hadn't decided whether or not to get back into swimming, they had agreed to start training together as if Emily were going to. At first, Emily agreed that it made sense for her to keep that option open, but, somewhere along the way, between the decision on Friday and their first session in the pool on Monday, she rediscovered her passion for swimming. "Rise and shine, McCullers," she called out, and Paige groaned, partially out of the realization that she was going to be "McCullers," now that her girlfriend was in jock-mode. Paige got out of bed and stretched, her eyes half closed until Emily smacked her across the backside. Paige let out a gasp, rubbing the spot in disbelief more than in pain, as Emily said, "Get it into gear! The early bird gets the worm!"

"Unless by 'worm,' you're referring to yourself, it's going to take a lot more than that to motivate me."

Emily moved her face tantalizingly close to Paige's and whispered, "Well, I guess you'll just have to find out what I'm referring to, won't you?" She brushed their lips before she took a step back and switched back into jock-mode. "Jeez, McCullers! Where's that Penn State superstar I've heard so much about? You've got to be able to move faster than that!"

Paige smiled to herself. _We'll see how cocky you are once we get into the pool,_ she thought.

* * *

Emily was good. Really good. A bit rusty, Paige observed, but she kept that thought to herself. She knew that, once Emily regained her form, the recruiters would be drooling over her. "Emily - wow! You're really something special in the water!"

Emily smiled her shy smile and bit her lip. "I've been telling you," she said, trying to regain her swagger. Something about being complimented by Paige had made her melt, though. She really wanted to impress Paige, for some reason. There was a part of her that wanted to prove - to herself, if not to Paige, that she belonged with a woman like Paige.

Paige noticed a transformation in Emily. Emily had long-since shed her timidity around Paige, but, now that she was back into swimming, Emily was growing more and more flirtatious. She seemed to need to be touching Paige, and the touches were growing increasingly intimate. Thanksgiving wasn't too far away, and Paige thought back to Emily's joke from the discussion they had about sharing a bedroom when her parents came back to Rosewood. Maybe the question of whether or not Paige was a screamer would turn out to be relevant after all.

Paige wasn't going to push anything. She thought it wise to allow her newly cocky girlfriend to set the pace.

* * *

Emily got out of the pool feeling good. Especially good. After two and a half weeks back in training, she was beginning to feel comfortable in the water. It felt good to limber her muscles up again. Having her girlfriend with her supporting her as she trained felt particularly good. She thought about it in the shower as she worked her body under the hot, soapy water. Paige had been scrupulous in giving Emily her privacy, at home and in the locker room, but Emily had tired of that. She wanted Paige. All of her: Body, mind, and spirit. But at that moment, in the steamy heat of the shower, she just wanted Paige's body. Her left hand lingered lasciviously between her thighs as she smoothed the other one over her breasts, imagining that it was Paige's hands that were working her over.

Paige always let Emily finish up in the locker room before she went in. They had both had experience changing and showering in locker rooms, but given that they were involved and living with each other while remaining sexually chaste, Paige didn't want to add any unnecessary temptation to the mix, for fear that they would slip and do something on impulse that they weren't ready for. Paige began to worry, though, when Emily hadn't emerged from the locker room for so long. She decided that she had better go in and check, to make sure that Emily hadn't slipped in the shower or something similar.

"Emily? Are you okay? Emily?" Paige heard the water, but Emily didn't reply. She was too far gone. Paige's heart started beating faster in panic as she approached the showers. What she saw when she rounded the corner made it beat almost out of her chest. Emily's body was writhing wildly under the effects of the water and her own hands. She was biting her lips to stifle her moans. Her eyes were closed, and her long, wet hair was swishing back and forth as her head jerked in time with her hips.

Paige should have walked away. She wanted to walk away, but her feet were welded to the spot. Without realizing it, she began fondling her chest through her swimsuit, her eyes glued on the show in front of her. She wasn't as good at remaining quiet as Emily, and Emily's eyes opened when Paige let out a desperate moan. "Shit, Em – I'm so sorry! I just thought – "

Emily was looking at her with a wicked smile. She sauntered over as casually as if they were on the dance floor and slowly eased Paige's suit off of her, grinding into her as she kissed her deeply, exploring the depths of Paige's mouth with her tongue as her hands explored the rest of Paige's anatomy. "Emily… Em – are you sure?"

Emily pulled her head away so that she could look Paige in the eye. She nodded her head. "Oh, yeah, Paige. I'm sure!"

"Right now? Here?"

"Paige. I need you. I don't care. I just – I need you right now."

Paige was satisfied. Things had been progressing for some time, and she was sure that Emily truly was ready; that this wasn't just a moment of weakness. Paige had envisioned a more romantic first-time with Emily, but hot and dirty would do just as well.

It was still early, and there was little risk that they would be interrupted. Paige and Emily weren't thinking about that, though. Their minds were occupied with baser thoughts.

Emily tugged Paige by the hand, leading her under the shower. She stood behind Paige and washed her gently, giving special attention to Paige's sensitive zones. She turned Paige around and resumed kissing her and grinding her thigh between Paige's. Paige parted her legs and pulled Emily closer into her, breaking the kiss to allow moans to escape from her lips. Emily squeezed Paige's nipples, biting and sucking at her neck. Paige collapsed against the stall, reaching out to Emily for support. Emily reached her hand between Paige's legs, smiling at Paige when she felt how ready she was. "Fuck, Em" was all that Paige could say.

The water was bouncing off of Paige's skin, and Emily's lips slid around Paige's warm, slick breasts. "God – harder!" Paige pleaded, using her hand to push Emily's deeper into herself. When Emily found her clitoris with her thumb, Paige gasped, her legs turning to jelly.

"You like that?" Emily groaned into Paige's ear.

"God, Emily – please!"

Emily reached behind Paige with her free hand, ghosting her hands over Paige's ass and stroking up and down her thighs. When Emily sensed Paige starting to clench, she thrust her tongue into her mouth and moaned, the vibration tickling Paige's throat. Emily backed away and sucked on Paige's earlobe. "Come for me, Baby." That was all Paige needed.

"Holy fuck, Emily!" Emily smiled. She loved the effect that she had on Paige. She pulled Paige fully to her feet and was about to start in on her again, but Paige shook her head no.

Paige deftly flipped their positions so that Emily was against the wall. She turned the water off and reached for a towel, with which she lovingly patted Emily dry. She was kissing her shoulders and the back of her neck the entire time. She pulled Emily's damp hair out of the way and whispered, with her lips touching Emily's ear, "I don't want the first time that I make love to you to be in a public locker room. Are you okay to wait?" Emily nodded weakly and Paige sucked on her earlobe. Emily wanted to change her vote. Paige gave Emily's throat a gentle kiss and promised, "I'll hurry."

She and Emily got dressed in record time, not bothering with socks and undergarments that were going to be removed shortly anyway.

* * *

Paige was extra careful on the drive home. She was eager to get there, but she was concerned about her concentration, with her heightened state of arousal and anticipation. After what felt like an eternity, she was finally pulling into the driveway.

Paige took a deep breath once she put the car into park. She saw Emily frantically battling to get her seatbelt off. Paige realized that she needed to slow things down. She wanted Emily to savor her first time. Paige reached over and patted Emily's thigh, smiling comfortingly. Emily sighed and collected herself, finally able to free herself from the seatbelt. Paige gave her thigh a squeeze and exited the car, running around the front of it to Emily's side so that she could open the door and give Emily a hand up and out of her seat. Paige led her into the house, her eyes locked in a loving gaze with Emily's throughout. Emily suddenly felt a rush of warmth come over her. She felt unbelievably safe with her hand in Paige's.

Paige led her over to the couch and sat down with her, kissing her gently, persistently on her lips. She unzipped Emily's warm-up jacket and slipped her hands inside it, enjoying the feeling of Emily's silky skin against her hands as she pulled her in closer. Paige's kisses became more intense when she felt Emily's bare breasts come into contact with her own breasts, still covered by her jacket. Emily's nipples hardened as the brushed back and forth against the softness of Paige's jacket. Emily's hands were tangled in Paige's hair. She wrapped her long right leg around Paige's waist, straining to pull herself in even closer. Paige realized that they needed to get upstairs. She maneuvered herself to Emily's side and, putting one arm under Emily's across her back, and the other arm under Emily's knees, she lifted her off of the couch and headed for the stairs. Emily shrieked in delight. She would have protested, but she was completely undone by the sheer power of her girlfriend's arms that were cradling her so tenderly.

Paige tilted over and lowered Emily's legs to the ground so that she was standing next to the bed. She eased the warm up jacket off of Emily's shoulders and made a show of tossing it aside. She jerked the bottoms of the warm-up suit to the ground and Emily stepped out of them, kicking them over in the direction of the jacket. Paige began kissing Emily again, her hands roaming every inch of her naked body that was within reach. She sat Emily down on the bed, parting her legs slightly and standing between them as she slowly undid her own jacket and dropped it to the ground. Emily looked her over hungrily, impatiently pulling down Paige's bottoms. She reached behind to Paige's ass and pulled her closer, turning her face sideways and resting it against Paige's navel. They held each other like that for a bit, before Paige eased Emily down on the bed and gestured for her to lie face down.

Paige straddled Emily and began massaging her girlfriend's aching muscles with her strong hands. She enjoyed the moans that Emily gave out in response. It was just what Emily needed after a hard swim, but it wasn't all that Emily needed. She rolled over and looked up at Paige, her eyes darkened in lust and need.

Paige nodded. She slipped down to the foot of the bed, kissing each of Emily's toes, then sliding her lips slowly up the length of Emily's golden calves. Emily sat up on her elbows to look, but it didn't matter. When Paige parted Emily's legs to kiss the inside of her thighs, Emily wasn't able to keep her eyes open. Her head fell back, and she collapsed onto the bed. Her hands found Paige's head, and she roughly guided it where she needed it. Paige gently kissed Emily's lower lips, intoxicated by her freshly showered scent, before she curled a finger inside. It met with no resistance. She inserted another finger, capturing Emily's clit with her lips, and ghosting her other hand over Emily's heated body. That hand seemed to be everywhere. Emily's senses were on overload. She began desperately calling Paige's name, digging her nails into Paige's shoulder.

Paige slid up to eye level with Emily, grinding her knee into her. "I'm right here, Baby," she whispered into Emily's ear as Emily flailed beneath her on the bed, bunching the sheets inside her fists. Paige rubbed Emily's thighs inside and out as their bodies moved in rhythm. When she heard Emily plead, "Paige," she lightly bit her neck and pushed her fingers back into Emily. Emily clenched around them with a gasp, her hips thrusting high off of the bed before she collapsed into it. Paige lay atop her protectively, whispering "I love you, Em," as Emily came back from the edge.

Paige moved off of Emily, and Emily rolled onto her side. She pulled Paige's hand as she did, drawing her beside her. Paige lay there, her lips resting on Emily's shoulder, until Emily fell asleep.

* * *

Paige sat up reluctantly. She knew that Emily would be okay skipping a class, but she, herself, had to teach. "Where are you going?" she heard in a muffled whine.

"Emily, I'm sorry - I have to teach my section."

"No, stay with me," Emily whined, not moving from where she lay.

Paige felt horrible. She didn't want Emily's memory of her first time to be tainted by the recollection of the way that her girlfriend left immediately after. She sighed. "I'll call Pete. He owes me one. He can cover my class." She leaned down and kissed Emily's cheek. "I just need to make a quick phone call, Love. I'll be right back."

Paige found her gym bag and retrieved her phone. After some begging and a little bribery, the deal was sealed, and she jogged back into bed. "Ah! Paige! You're freezing!" Emily exclaimed when she felt Paige's body press against her back.

"Well, warm me up!" Paige teased, pulling a blanket over them.

Emily leaned back to give Paige's lips a kiss. "Mmmm - I love you, Paige! So much!" she said sleepily before she rolled over.

"I love you, too, Em," Paige responded, kissing the back of Emily's neck, sending a shiver through her.

Emily backed deeper into Paige's body. She knew that she was exactly where she was always meant to be.


	10. The Aftermath

Paige woke up just before 10. She looked over at Emily, who was curled up under the covers looking positively angelic underneath a halo of dark waves of hair.

Paige was starving, but she didn't want leave Emily alone and risk having her wake up in an empty bed. Unfortunately, Emily didn't look as if she would be stirring anytime soon. _Damn, I'm good_ , Paige chuckled to herself.

Paige lightly brushed the hair away from Emily's face and was rewarded with a sweet smile as Emily began slow emerging from her slumber. _And I thought that she looked angelic before,_ Paige couldn't help thinking.

"Morning," Emily said, her voice still half asleep.

"Good morning!" Paige echoed cheerfully.

"What time is it?" Emily's scratchy voice inquired.

"About 10:30. You hungry?"

"I'm starving!"

"Same here," Paige said. "You, sit still. I'll go make us some food."

"No, I'm coming with you," Emily said, rushing to grab a pair of underwear before she reunited with her warm up suit. Paige just pulled a short robe around herself. Emily grabbed her hand, and they headed down to the kitchen.

* * *

"How do you feel?" Paige asked, once they settled into their early lunch.

Emily's smile said it all. "I feel perfect, Paige. It just feels as if the stars have aligned, and everything's working out for me. I'm back to swimming, I've got the perfect girlfriend, and this morning was..."

"Perfect?" Paige suggested.

Emily nodded, still smiling. "Damn, it's great to be me!"

Paige reached a hand out to squeeze Emily's forearm. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

Emily put her hand behind Paige's neck and pulled her in for a kiss. "I'm more than okay, Paige. It was the right time. It wasn't a mistake. I don't have any regrets."

Paige nodded. She knew that Emily hadn't acted rashly, but she wanted assurance, now that their first time was behind them, Emily didn't have second thoughts.

"Thank you, Paige. I'm so glad that we didn't rush it. That _you_ didn't rush me."

"I love you, Em." Paige's voice was so soft that it was very audible as she leaned in to claim another kiss. "Thank you for giving yourself to me."

* * *

"So," Paige said, as they relaxed in front of a DVD, "we need to talk to your parents."

"About?"

"Well, they agreed to let me move into their house with the understanding that you and I weren't sleeping together, and, now that we are - or, that we _have_ , at least..."

"You want me to call my parents and tell them that I had sex with you?" Emily was almost giggling, not from the humor, but from the outrageousness of what Paige was suggesting.

"No, not like that," Paige said, losing her patience. "Emily, I told you that I'm not going to do this behind your parents' back."

"Paige, I can't just call my parents up and say, 'Listen, I know that you guys said it was okay for Paige to sleep here before we were sleeping together, but, now that she's deflowered me, is it still okay?'"

"Obviously there are better ways to put it."

Emily was starting to get annoyed herself.

"Look, Em. I don't do secrets. I've found that it's a lot better to be upfront with people."

Emily remained silent.

"Do you want _me_ to talk to them?"

Emily's jaw dropped. "You actually would, wouldn't you?" Emily read the answer in Paige's expression. "Don't you think that they already assumed that we're sleeping together?"

"Well, then, it shouldn't be a hard conversation. And at least they'll know that we're not keeping things from them."

"Paige, I _can't_ have that conversation," she pleaded. "And you can't either," she added quickly. "God - I'd die of embarrassment."

Paige took a deep breath. "Okay. How about this? You call them and say, 'Hey, I know that you guys said that it was okay for Paige to stay here because we're not sleeping together. We're starting to get close, we're both adults -' whatever - 'Would you guys want her to move out if we decided that we wanted to sleep together?' And, that way, at least we'll know."

Emily groaned. "Fine! I'll call my Mom later."

Paige took Emily's hand. "Thanks, Emily. I'd feel a lot better."

Emily nodded. "I guess I would, too," she said with a sigh.

* * *

"Emmy, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Paige and I don't want to do anything behind your backs. We just want to know whether or not it's still okay with you and Dad for Paige to stay here if we decide to take things to the next level."

Pam pulled the phone away from her ear and took a deep breath. Never in her life would she have expected to be having this conversation with her daughter. After she collected herself, she responded, weakly, "It's okay."

"Really?" Emily was genuinely shocked.

"You're not a child anymore, Emily, and your father and I are going to have to trust you to make your own decisions. And the fact that we're having this conversation shows a lot of maturity."

_Ouch!_ Emily thought. _Score one for McCullers!_

"Thanks for understanding, Mom. I'm glad that you have faith in me."

"Well, I'm glad that you're proving that we can have faith in you."

"Will you tell Dad?"

Pam laughed.

"Do you want _me_ to?" Emily asked

"No, I'll talk to him. I laughed because he's convinced that you two are already sleeping together." Pam laughed again. Emily laughed nervously, under her breath.

"Mom?" Emily closed her eyes tight before she continued. "Paige and I kind of - well, we actually did make love today. For the first time. It wasn't planned!" _Oh shit!_ Emily realized that it sounded like a moment of surrender to lust, not a rational decision made from love. "I mean," she added quickly, "It felt right. We didn't plan for it to happen today, but it wasn't a mistake. We knew that we were ready, and that the day was coming."

Pam nodded in understanding, as if her daughter could see.

"I - I'm sorry if I violated your trust."

"No, Emmy. The fact that you're telling me now is what matters. I wouldn't expect you to call in the middle and ask for approval."

Emily tried to smile. This conversation was just too weird to be having with her mom.

"Do you love her, Emily?" Pam asked, shaking Emily back from her thoughts.

"I really do, Mom. And she loves me. She's so tender and caring. I - I just love her."

Pam laughed lightly. "I'm happy for you, Emmy. I really am. This isn't the conversation that I was expecting to have, but I'm happy."

"Thanks, Mom."

"What did Hanna say? She must have flipped out."

Emily realized that she hadn't told Hanna yet. What happened between her and Paige didn't feel like something that she had to brag about, or even a milestone to share with her friends. It just seemed fitting and normal, like a good-morning kiss. "I actually haven't told Hanna, yet," she said, the surprise evident in her voice.

"Well, thanks for telling _me_ , Emmy. It's good to know that I can trust you about anything."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Honey. Give Paige a hug for me."

Emily hung up the phone an virtually floated to the living room and into Paige's arms. She hardly knew what felt better, her mom's reaction, or the fact that she had been able to be completely honest with her.

"That," Emily said, hugging Paige, "is from my Mom, and this," she said, with a kiss, "is from me!"

"So, it went well? I can stay?"

Emily planted another kiss on her girlfriend's lips. "It went _very_ well."

Paige lifted Emily off the ground and spun her in a hug.

"Paige, thanks," Emily said sincerely. "You were right." Paige responded with a kiss. Emily looked at her shyly.

"What's wrong?"

"Would it be okay for me to tell Hanna?"

"Of course, Em. Why wouldn't it be?" Paige half laughed. "You know that I'm going to be bragging about to all of my friends and distant relatives."

Emily shrugged. "You're not embarrassed"

Paige laughed, before she realized that Emily wasn't joking. Emily knew that Paige's love for her was real, but, still, somewhere, deep down, she had a hint of worry that Paige would be embarrassed for her friends to find out that she couldn't do better than a college freshman.

"Embarrassed?" Paige gave Emily a kiss. "That I'm with the hottest, sweetest, most loving girlfriend in the world? Yes, I'm embarrassed, Emily. Embarrassed that I'm so _awesome_!"

Emily gave Paige's shoulder a smack. Even though Paige had made her point in a joking manner, it was really nice to hear.

* * *

"Go ahead, say it!" Emily challenged Hanna.

"I'm so happy for you, Emily."

"I know. Get it out of your system."

"Get what out of my system?"

"That she punched my V-card. Plowed my Fields. That I banged McHottie. Got some TA T & A."

Hanna couldn't help smiling. "Okay, those are all really awesome, Emily. But, honestly, I'm just so happy for you right now. I bet it was really sweet."

Emily bit her lip. It was true that it had ended really sweet, but the way that Emily had started it off was downright nasty. "It really was," Emily said. Maybe she would give Hanna more, someday.

"Yeah, it was!" Hanna shouted, getting up to hug Emily. "I just want to cry right now."

"Hanna – dude? Who are you?"

"Don't worry, Emily. I'm going to need all the details later. But, right now, I just want to share this moment with you. I just wasn't expecting it. Were _you guys_ expecting it?"

"I mean, it wasn't _unexpected._ We knew that it was coming. Well, I knew that it was coming. I'm pretty sure that Paige did, too. But we hadn't planned for it to happen right then. I don't know. It was just right in that moment, and we both knew that it was right."

"Wow."

"Paige kind of looked at me. She wanted to make sure that it wasn't just a moment of passion that I'd regret later."

"Aw, of _course_ she did! Emily!" Hanna was up and hugging her best friend again.

"I know!"

"So it was…"

"Perfect."

"Perfect," Hanna echoed.

"Don't worry, Em. I can keep a secret."

"Thanks, Han."

"I mean, if your dad found out…"

"Actually, he knows." Emily said coyly.

"Holy shit! How did he find out?"

"I told him."

"Seriously?"

"Well, I told my Mom, and she's going to tell him. It was Paige's idea. She refuses to sneak around. I didn't want to tell them, but I'm glad that I did. My Mom appreciated it. It's as if she sees me as a grown-up now, since I didn't lie to her."

"So Paige didn't going to hit it and quit it, eh?"

Emily hung her head and smiled, remembering when she used that phrase out of insecurity after her first date with Paige. "Yeah, I was wrong, Hanna. But…"

Emily trailed off. "But what?" Hanna asked, suddenly concerned.

"Nothing. Just – she was going to leave afterwards, because she had to teach a class."

"'Was going to?'"

"I asked her to stay with me. Was that pathetic?"

"Oh, no, Em! Not at all! Why would she leave after? Especially your first time?"

"Well, I mean, I get it. She's _teaching_ the class – it's not as if she could just skip it."

"But, she stayed, though?"

"Yeah. She got someone to cover." Emily sighed. "I mean, even though I understand why, I'm glad that she didn't leave me."

"Yeah, of course, Em."

* * *

"So, McCullers. This is nice. I never see you, now that you're shacking up with your little freshman."

Paige curved her fingers up at Shana, using the gesture to say, "Come on. Get it all out of your system."

"Not that I blame you," Shana continued. "If I bagged a hottie like her, you'd never see me, either. I'd never leave the house. Hell, I'd never leave my bedroom. I'm surprised that you can even walk straight!"

Paige smiled, shaking her head.

"So, has she gotten you in the sheets, yet?"

"Actually, yes," Paige said softly.

"Holy shit!" Shana slammed her hands down on the table, as if her loud exclamation hadn't been enough to get the attention of everyone else in the Brew. "McCullers! This is huge!" Shana whisper-shouted, although the damage had already been done.

"It was – right," Paige said simply.

"No, Paige. I _know_ you. You don't do casual sex. If you're sleeping with Emily then…"

"Neither one of us went into it casually. I know how I feel about her, and I wouldn't have gone this far if I wasn't pretty sure that it was mutual."

"Jesus, McCullers! Come here!" Shana jumped out of the booth and extended her arms, running in place. "God. You deserve that kind of relationship. If anyone deserves it, you deserve it."

"Thanks, Shana," Paige mouthed, barely audibly. She was too content to say much.

"So, are you guys moving out?"

"Eventually, when she decides where she wants to go to school next year."

"Really, Paige? It's not like you to sneak around behind her parents' back."

"They discussed it."

"Whoa! I would love to have heard that conversation."

"Shana, I always say that it's best to be upfront with people." Paige shrugged. "And her mom respected that."

"And things aren't awkward at all between the two of you?"

"No. We both knew that it was right. It almost got awkward, because I was supposed to teach today."

"Supposed to?"

Paige shrugged. "She asked me to not to leave, and she was right. I shouldn't have left her like that. I got Pete to cover for me."

* * *

That night, for the first time, Emily was nervous when she climbed into bed with Paige. They had taken things to the next level, and she wasn't sure how things would go down. What would Paige's expectations be? What did she, herself, want to happen?

Paige reached out to her with welcoming arms and a welcoming smile. Emily's fears vanished. She realized that she trusted in their relationship. It wasn't a question of disappointing Paige or of Paige disappointing her. They knew each other; their bodies knew each other, and they could be honest about their needs and expectations.

Emily found her smile mirroring Paige's as she climbed into her lover's arms. She settled in with her head on Paige's shoulder and her hand lying flat against Paige's chest. Paige gave a soft kiss to her cheek and they closed their eyes. But it soon became obvious that it wouldn't be that easy to close the door that they had opened that morning. Soon, Emily had rolled over onto her side and was pressing delicate kisses against Paige's neck. Paige moaned in response, and her legs squeezed together completely on their own. Emily started caressing Paige's breasts, and her kisses became more desperate and purposeful as she rehashed the entire day in her mind – the way that their spirits and their bodies had connected, the conversation with her mom and the way that her relationship with her mom changed, the affirmation that she received from Hanna.

Emily paused for a moment to look at Paige, who had her eyes closed and a look of pure contentment on her face. When Emily paused, Paige opened her eyes to check that everything was okay. She smiled at the loving look that Emily was giving her. "This has been some kind of day, hasn't it?" Paige asked. Emily nodded, moving on top of Paige before she resumed kissing her.


	11. The Tutor

Paige awoke to hear Emily chattering away, in hushed tones, on her phone. She seemed to be annoyed.

"I know, Hanna. Look – this isn't a good time. Well, I know that finals are just around the corner, why are you just now starting in on this. Hanna… Hanna… Okay. Okay, I will ask her, but the fact that she's my girlfriend doesn't mean that she'll be your own private tutor… All right, Hanna. Just… Okay. Bye, Hanna… Yeah. Yeah. I'm hanging up now."

Emily tossed her phone off the bed and exhaled. "Ugh!" She peeked over at Paige who was smiling back at her. Emily was apologetic. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"I needed to get up anyway."

"How much did you hear?"

"I may be your girlfriend, but that doesn't mean that I'll tutor Hanna?"

"Sorry, Paige. She just won't let it go."

"And you told her that she could sign up for tutoring in the department office?"

"Of course, I did. I've been telling her that for a couple of weeks, now. But she seems to think that you hold the magical key for her to pass Lit."

Paige broke into her cocky grin. "Well, I _am_ really good at this," she teased.

Emily swatted her shoulder. "Yeah. And that's why Hanna says I owe her one. You know, since I 'made' her transfer out of your section when I did. She thinks she'd be doing better if she were still in your section."

Paige chuckled. "I guess she has a point, there."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Will you just talk to her? She won't take no for an answer from me."

"Somehow, if you can't wear her down, I don't think that I'll be able to dissuade her, either."

"So, you'll do it?" Emily scrunched up her face in an apologetic plea.

"You're saying that you expect me to help you train, teach my section, do my own coursework, _and_ find time to tutor Hanna?"

Emily didn't say anything in response. She just kept staring at her girlfriend with her big, doe eyes.

"Okay, fine. What's Hanna's number?"

* * *

"Hanna, have you done any work at all for this class?"

"Of course I have, Paige! What do you think? But it's not my only class! Lit isn't my whole life, you know."

"Okay, but it doesn't look as though you've done any studying since the first week of class."

"Paige, forget about the past. We can't change the past. I just want to know how you're going to get me to pass this class!"

"How _I_ 'm going to? So, it's up to me to make sure that you pass?"

"Yes, Paige! You're the teacher, right?"

"Yes, Hanna, and you're the student."

"Ugh! I don't have time to play these word games with you! Are you going to help me or not?"

Paige stood up and rubbed circles into the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. This was going down pretty much exactly the way that she had expected it to.

* * *

"Hanna, what do you hope to get out of this class?" an exasperated Paige asked after she and Hanna had been spinning their wheels for the better part of an hour.

"A 'D'"

"A 'D?'"

"Yeah – I'm taking it pass/fail, so I'm expecting to get a D."

"Well, why did you decide to take it in the first place?"

"Because Ezra told us that the TA was great, and that he was an easy grader."

"So, you don't have any interest in American Lit at all?"

Hanna just looked at her, smiling vapidly, like someone asking for directions in a foreign country, without understanding the local language.

"Why are you even at Hollis?"

"I don't know. Ask my parents. God, Paige, can you, please, just teach me, now?"

* * *

Later that afternoon, Paige lay in bed rubbing her temples, with an ice pack on her head. Emily was lying next to her, hugging her around the waist, kissing her cheek repeatedly and thanking her.

"Please don't make me do that ever again," Paige whined.

"I promise!" Emily said. She finally stopped the kisses and rolled over onto her back, letting out a sigh. "Are you sure that you're still up for tonight?"

Paige rolled over, leaning on her elbow with a smile. "I wouldn't miss it."

Emily smiled back, kissing Paige's lips. "Good. I'm really looking forward to having a real couples evening, like actual adults."

"I think that we may be one adult short," Paige said, still not over the afternoon's tutoring session.

Emily had invited Hanna and Caleb for a couples' dinner before they were to have Thanksgiving meals with Emily's parents and Hanna's. She got up out of bed and headed to the kitchen, eager to get started.

* * *

Paige joined Emily in the kitchen with an eager smile on her face. Emily was less enthusiastic. She and Paige didn't quite have the coordinated rhythm in the kitchen that Emily and Pam did. It wasn't just that Paige was still learning her way around Emily's kitchen. Emily got the impression that Paige didn't know her way around kitchens in general. The dinners that Emily had enjoyed at Paige's house were basically pizza or some other take out, salads, Shana's leftovers, or food that Emily brought.

Paige was almost more of a hindrance than a help, and Emily would have kicked her out and just put dinner together herself except for two things. First, Paige was really eager to help. And, second, Emily really enjoyed Paige's company.

"Seriously – How did you even survive on your own?"

"Well, at Penn State, I ate with the team or in the caf."

"And when you were living with Shana?"

"Sometimes Shana cooked. Sometimes John."

"John?"

"Papa John."

Emily rolled her eyes. She should have known.

"Didn't you help your mom in the kitchen when you lived at home?"

"Sometimes. But, it usually ended up with her giving me other stuff to do. You know, like setting the table, or cleaning the pots and pans after she pulled them off of the stove."

"Seems like a very wise woman," Emily said under her breath.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking – could you count the silverware and make sure that we have enough clean, matching place settings for everyone who's coming over tonight?"

Paige wrapped her arms around Emily from behind and kissed her shoulder. "Now that sounds like a job that I can handle!"

* * *

When the doorbell rang, Emily handed Paige the spoon that she had been using to stir the sauce. "Just keep stirring this, okay? Constant, slow stirring. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" She said it as if she were talking to her five-year-old daughter and not her twenty-one-year-old girlfriend.

Paige just smiled at her enthusiastically, happy that she had been entrusted with an actual cooking-related job.

Emily opened the door and greeted Hanna and Caleb, quickly ushering them into the kitchen to introduce Caleb to Paige. She half expected to see sauce splattered all over the walls, or the flame from the gas stove scorching the wallpaper. To her pleasant surprise, Paige had managed to keep everything under control.

Hanna greeted Paige with an eye-roll and a scoff. _Great – so, no hard feelings,_ Paige thought. Emily introduced Paige to Caleb, who shrugged his shoulders apologetically at the greeting that his girlfriend had given Paige.

Emily eagerly took over the stirring from Paige, asking Paige to get Hanna and Caleb something to drink.

Paige sat in uncomfortable silence with Hanna and Caleb, not wanting to bring up Lit with Hanna, and not knowing what to talk about with Caleb. She let out a sigh of relief when Emily finally called her into the kitchen to help put the food on the table.

As Paige worked on setting the food out, Emily took Hanna to the side. "Why are you ruining this dinner with my girlfriend?"

Hanna sighed. "Ugh. I don't even know, Emily. I'm just so worried about this Lit class, and I thought that Paige would magically be able to fix things – " Before Emily could cut her off, she added, "I know, it's not her fault. It's mine. I just need to get my head on straight. I'll be good. I promise."

After Emily's conversation with Hanna, dinner went rather well. Hanna was on her best behavior, even making fun of herself for her lack of preparation at Hollis.

"Hanna," Paige asked, returning to a theme from their conversation during the infamous tutoring session, "what do you want to do with your life?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, where do you see yourself in five years?"

"I don't know," Hanna said mechanically. Caleb rolled his eyes, knowing the joke that was coming. "I don't have 2020 vision!" Emily and Paige looked at her dumbfounded. "You know? 'Cause, in five years, it'll be 2020?"

Paige shook her head. "Okay, but, seriously, though. If you could do anything in the world, what would you do?"

"That's easy. I'd design woman's formal wear. Ideally, I'd have my own design house."

"And how is Hollis moving you toward that goal?"

"Who said it's a goal? You asked me what I would do if I could do anything."

"Okay, but is it a realistic dream? Is it something that you have any experience in?"

"Actually, yes." Hanna talked about the gowns that she had designed for her friends in high school, and what she had learned by working over the past two summers with a local seamstress.

"And, if that were your career goal," Paige asked, "what would be the path to getting there?"

"Well, first of all," Hanna said, "I'd have to attend my parents' funeral, because they would have a heart attack when I told them that I wanted to quit Hollis to become a designer!"

"Have they seen your work?" Hanna nodded. "Is it any good?" Hanna shrugged.

"I think so," Emily said, going through her phone and showing Paige some pictures of the gowns that Hanna had designed for proms.

"Well, it might be worth a shot to try to convince them."

Hanna smiled, grabbing Paige's arm. "That's so cute," she said, patronizingly. "But you don't know my Dad!"

Paige smiled and let the subject drop.

"So, who wants coffee?" Emily asked. She suddenly felt like an adult, having friends over for dinner and coffee in her house, with her girlfriend. Paige and Caleb cleared the table, and Emily and Hanna got to work on the coffee.

* * *

"Em, do you have a stool or something?" Hanna asked. Emily turned to see Hanna straining to reach the coffee on the top shelf of the cabinet.

"Damn it, Paige!" she said to herself. Hanna looked over at her, puzzled.

"The coffee goes here," she explained, pointing to an open spot on the bottom shelf as she got on her tiptoes and stretched out as far as she could, finally reaching the coffee on the top shelf.

"So, Paige was messing with me? How did she know that I would be getting the coffee?"

"She was messing with _me_ ," Emily corrected. She rolled her eyes and explained, "She likes it when I stretch out to reach for the coffee. Especially in the morning when I'm wearing a robe or a t-shirt. Says it's _sexy,_ " Emily said, downplaying the last word self-consciously.

Hanna burst out in laughter, and Emily gave in and started laughing, too. "Well, if that isn't just the cutest thing!"

"I know, right?"

"Look at you, Emily! Being perved on by Paige McHottie." Emily shook her head and smiled, embarrassed. "If it weren't for those legs, I wouldn't have had to transfer out of Paige's class, and I'd wouldn't have to worry about how I'm going to pass!"

* * *

"So, whatever you said to Hanna," Paige said, as she helped Emily with the dishes after Hanna and Caleb headed home, "thank you!"

Emily laughed. "I just told her not to ruin the evening. She came to her senses and admitted that she was just frustrated, and that it wasn't your fault."

"She'll do fine," Paige assured her. "From what I hear, Pete is a very lenient grader. Especially with freshmen."

"Did you tell her that?"

"Em, I was so frustrated, I couldn't even think beyond how clueless she was."

"Well, maybe I'll tell her. Would that be okay?"

Paige nodded.

"She approved of your little coffee trick, by the way."

Paige turned bright red. "You _told_ her?"

Emily laughed. "She asked me for a stool when she came back to help me with the coffee." Paige shook her head, embarrassed. "You have no one to blame but yourself, Paige!"

"I know, I know. So, what did she say?"

"Something about McHottie the perv."

"Guilty," Paige said, throwing her hands up and her eyes down in surrender. "What can I say? Hashtag hot girlfriend problems!"

Emily moved in close and smoothed out Paige's collar, letting her hands rest on the shoulders of Paige's shirt. "I'm the hot girlfriend?" she said playfully, lightly brushing her lips against Paige's.

"Hot," Paige said, pulling Emily in closer and giving her a searing kiss, "doesn't even begin to describe my girlfriend!" She kissed Emily again, and Emily parted her lips, welcoming Paige's tongue inside. Paige pressed her up against the sink, continuing the heated kiss. Emily felt herself swoon.

"Okay," she said, out of breath, once they took a break from kissing. "You've officially made up for your lack of kitchen skills."

"And for the coffee trick?"

"Mmmm..." Emily kissed Paige again and thought it over. "You've still got some making up to do on that one!"


	12. The Parents

"Aren't Christmas decorations supposed to go up _after_ Thanksgiving?" Paige whined. Ordinarily, she loved Christmas and all of the decorations, so she didn't hesitate when Emily told her that they were going to lug all of the decorations down from the attic and start getting the house ready for the holidays.

"Ordinarily, yes," Emily replied, very cheery, but definitely in control, "but since my Dad managed to get home in time for Thanksgiving this year, we have to have everything ready early. Whenever he's been away from us, we always made sure that he came home to a house overflowing with Christmas cheer."

Paige looked over to Hanna for support. Hanna just shrugged and put her arm around Paige's shoulder sympathetically. Apparently, this wasn't Hanna's first experience with the ritual of Christmas decorating at the Fieldses' house. Hanna nodded her head towards Caleb, who was looking very confused as he tried to untangle a long string of lights. "He's a newbie, too.," she said, trying to give Paige the comfort of not being alone. Emily noticed Caleb's struggling, and with a single shake of the wires, got everything untangled and flitted over to the next task like the good Christmas fairy, magically applying her pixie dust to solve problems.

As evening descended over Rosewood, Emily could see that Paige was reaching her limit. She went over and gave her a side-hug. "Why don't you go inside and order us some pizza? We can finish up the rest by the time it gets here."

"That's okay, Em," Paige said, despite the fact that she really wanted a break. "I don't like quitting before the job is finished."

Emily gave her a kiss. "You go take care of the pizza. I want you to get the full effect of the decorations all at once. It'll be dark by the time we finish eating, and we can light everything up. Okay?"

Paige really didn't need much convincing. As she trotted inside to place the order, Emily called out behind her, "And don't get that weird pizza! Get something that everybody can eat!"

"I'll make sure she orders something good," Hanna said, ignoring the panicked, don't-leave-me-behind look that Caleb was giving her as she ran to catch up with Paige. Once they were inside the house, Hanna confronted Paige. "So, you must be pretty nervous about meeting Emily's parents."

"No," Paige shrugged. "Why reason would I be nervous? It's not as if we're keeping secrets from them."

"Uh – because you're meeting her parents!"

"But, I've already met Pam, and I've talked to Wayne on Skype before."

"Well, Emily says that you're nervous."

Paige laughed. "She must just be projecting her own nervousness onto me."

"Well, whatever. You can relax. They're pretty chill. And, besides, I'm sure that Emily will stick up for you if they go off."

* * *

"So, you told Hanna that I'm nervous about meeting your parents?" Paige asked as she climbed into bed.

Emily laughed. "It's okay, Paige. It's perfectly understandable."

"But, I'm not nervous."

"Paige…"

"Yes?"

"I know you. I can tell when you're nervous."

"Seriously, Em. As I told Hanna, I don't have any reason to be nervous. And I've met your mom, and I've pretty much met your dad."

"Yes, but this is the first time that you'll be seeing them since you started having sex with their daughter."

"Yes, but that's the advantage of not keeping secrets. I don't have to worry about being caught in a lie."

"So, you're not nervous at Al, is what you're telling me?"

"Not in the least," Paige said confidently."

"Whatever," Emily sighed, smiling as she kissed Paige good-night and rolled over.

Paige wrapped her arms around Emily and they lay silent for a while.

"Em?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm a little nervous."

"Awww – of course you are," Emily said. She rolled over to stroke Paige's cheek, as if she were comforting a young child.

"See? This is why I didn't want to say anything."

"I thought that it was always best to be open and honest with everyone!"

"Oh, you're going to use _that_ against me?" Paige laughed, as she began to tickle Emily mercilessly.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" Emily shrieked.

Paige's tickling turned into a hug. "Thank you, Emily," she said, with a kiss.

"For what?"

"This is actually helping me feel more relaxed."

"My parents love you, Paige. You don't have any reason to be nervous."

"I know that they love me, Em. I just…"

"You just what?"

"I just want to make sure that they _still_ love me by the time they head back to Texas."

"Well, you've only got to be on your best behavior for a month!" Emily joked.

* * *

Paige sat in Wayne's SUV with a smug look on her face. "It only makes sense to take the SUV, Emily," she explained. "With the four of us and all their luggage, any of the other cars would be too cramped."

"Yeah, but my Dad would never let _me_ drive his car. He doesn't even like it when my Mom drives his car!"

"What can I say? He must trust me. I mean, he trusts me with you, doesn't he?"

"That's different, Paige. This is _his car_! It's like a religious icon, or something."

Paige laughed. "Well, you'd better not distract me while I'm driving, then! I wouldn't want to put a scratch on it!"

"Paige," Emily said with a serious expression and tone, "don't even _joke_ like that! I can't even imagine what would happen if we got a scratch on this car!"

"Don't worry, Emily! A beautiful machine like this needs to be treated with respect, and that's just how I'll treat her."

"Oh, my God, Paige!"

"What?"

"You're treating this car like a person, just as my Dad does!"

"I'm not surprised! What's her name?"

Emily scowled at Paige, both because she was upset that Paige could relate to the fact that her dad named the car, and because she was embarrassed to say the name. "Lucille," she scoffed, at last.

"I like it!" Paige said, caressing the dash. "How're you doing, Lucille? You and I are going to be good friends. Don't worry. I won't let anything bad happen to you!"

Emily pouted towards the window with her arms crossed in front of her, muttering something under her breath.

"What, Em? I couldn't quite hear you over the purr of Lucille's well-tended engine."

Emily gave Paige a long glare before she finally spoke. "My Dad and I always made fun of how jealous my Mom got over this car, but now I know exactly how she feels."

* * *

Paige dropped Emily off at Arrivals and took Lucille to the cell-phone lot to wait for Emily's call. Emily was ecstatic when she finally spotted her father's bright smile and broad shoulders coming down the escalator. He and Pam were laughing about something, as giddy as teenagers on a first date. Emily loved that about their relationship – the way that it constantly seemed new.

When Wayne spotted Emily, he dropped his carry-on and Pam's as he bent his knees slightly and extended his arms wide. Emily's smile was also wide as she ran into his arms and allowed herself to be swept up in them. It had been too long. Wayne couldn't tell whether she was laughing or crying – and neither could Emily – as her nostrils registered the scent that was uniquely Dad. He smelled like home. They held each other for a while before Wayne released her and she gave her mother a similar embrace.

As they headed to baggage claim. Emily gave Paige a call to let her know that her parents had made it in one piece. She said that she would call again, once they had their bags. There was no telling how long that would take. As they waited, Wayne asked all about Paige; How they had met, how good a swimmer she was, what she was studying, what she planned to do. Emily enjoyed talking about her girlfriend. She was elated that her father was interested. Before too long, Pam spotted their bags. She used her size to slip underneath some people who were closer, but, unfortunately, he size wasn't helpful when she tried to remove the heavy bags. Emily offered a hand while Wayne stood by and laughed at the situation. Once everything was collected, they stepped out into the brisk, November air to look for Lucille and Paige.

* * *

Paige was more patient in the line of airport traffic than she would have been in her own car. She didn't want to cut someone off in an aggressive attempt to get to the spot where the Fields family was waiting, for fear that Emily's dad would worry about his precious baby. She pulled into an open space and popped the hatch, rushing out to help load the luggage into the car. Once everything was loaded, she handed Wayne his keys and joined Emily in the rear.

"So, how was your flight?" Paige asked.

"Oh, it wasn't too bad," Pam replied.

"It felt good to get out of that cramped seat and stretch my legs for a bit," Wayne added.

"You can move the seat back," Paige offered. "I've got plenty of room back here!" Wayne didn't reply, but he reached down to the side of the seat and slid it back.

"Did you pick up everything for tomorrow, Emmy?"

"Yes, Mom. Paige and I took care of all of the shopping and the early prep. You guys can sit back and relax. Everything's been taken care of."

"Well, not everything," Wayne said. "It's going to be a hive of activity tomorrow night! Paige, I hope you're up for some heavy lifting!"

"Oh, actually, I think I have some papers to grade," Paige joked. She gave Emily a questioning look: _You didn't tell them?_

Emily smiled in back, mouthing the word "Surprise!" and spreading her fingers out in front of her, out of her parents' line of sight.

"You're not getting out of it that easily,". Wayne laughed. "Did Hanna warn you about what you were in for?" Wayne checked the mirror for Paige's reaction.

"Something about running for the hills?" Paige played along.

When they rounded the corner onto their block, Pam cupped her hands in front of her mouth and gasped. "Girls, what did you do?" she asked excitedly.

"We had to get everything in place before Dad got home!" Emily announced, bursting with joy at her parents' reaction.

"It looks perfect, Kiddo!" Wayne said as he pulled into the driveway.

"Thanks. Hanna and Caleb helped, too."

"So, Paige," Pam said, turning around in her seat before she exited the car, "You survived your first tour of duty decorating the Fields house!"

Paige smiled despite herself at the word, "first," an acknowledgment from Pam that it wouldn't the last. "Well," she said, self-effacingly, "Emily took it easy on me. I guess because it was my first tour!"

"Oh, yeah! Next year," Emily said, pulling Paige by the arm, "you're going to have to see what Christmas decorating with the Fields Family _really_ feels like!"

Pam smiled at Wayne, tilting her head towards the girls in the back seat. It made her feel good to see Emily assertively teasing her girlfriend. Emily was a strong woman, but she tended to defer to others. One of the reasons that Pam and Wayne didn't get along with Maya was that Emily disappeared into her; losing who she was whenever Maya was around. It was obvious that this wasn't the case with Paige. She was delighted to see Emily in a relationship that enhanced who she was.

* * *

Paige helped Wayne pull the bags out from the back of the car, but Pam grabbed her by the arm, with both hands, before she could start carrying them inside. "Let Wayne and Emmy take care of those. I want to show you something," she said, leading Paige over to the side of the house. Once they were out of Emily's sight, Pam released Paige's arm and looked her straight in the eye. _Here it comes,_ Paige thought, bracing herself.

"You're good for my daughter," Pam said. "The Emily Wayne and I get to see when it's just the three of us, she doesn't show up when there are others around. Except with you. She can be herself around you."

Paige smiled back at Pam. "I love your daughter very much."

"I know that you do," Pam said, reaching up to hug Paige and give her a kiss on the cheek.

Pam and Paige walked into the house arm in arm, just as Emily came down the stairs looking for Paige. Pam moved a hand behind Paige's back and nudged her towards Emily. Emily looked at her mom suspiciously, then gave Paige a look of concern. "Are you okay?" she asked, ushering Paige into the dining room. She didn't bother to turn on the light. She just asked Paige pointedly, "What did my Mom want with you?"

"It was nothing," Paige smiled.

"Paige." Emily was agitated. "If she said something, just tell me. She can't talk to you like that just because I'm her daughter and she feels protective!"

Paige shook her head and held Emily's hands at her sides, to calm her. "It wasn't like that, Em. She said that…" Paige paused, laughing to herself. She felt embarrassed to tell Emily what her mother had said. The thought that Paige was trying to laugh off whatever insult or threat that Pam had thrown at her only made Emily more upset. Paige picked up on her emotinal state, so she completed her sentence. "She said that I was good for you, Em." Emily looked confused. "She said that you're yourself when you're with me. Which, I hope, is true. I'd hate it if I made you feel that you had to…"

Emily interrupted Paige with a kiss. "You don't, Paige," she assured her, caressing her cheek. Paige hugged her and held on, savoring the moment.


	13. The Friends

"How's your training coming along, Emily?"

"Pretty well, actually. I think?" Emily looked over to Paige for confirmation, and Paige nodded enthusiastically. "I don't know what I would've done without Paige's help. She was a real godsend."

"You would've done just fine," Paige said modestly. "Really, she's like a mermaid!"

Wayne laughed heartily before he continued. "So, are you on-track for Stanford next year?"

Pam gave Wayne a look. "That is, if you're still interested in Stanford, Emmy," she added.

Wayne failed to pick up on Pam's cue. "Of course, she's still interested in Stanford," he answered before Emily had a chance to answer for herself. "Why would that change?"

"Well, maybe she'd like to stay closer to home," Pam said, trying to be subtle as she tipped her head in Paige's direction.

This time Wayne picked up. "What do _you_ think about Stanford, Paige?"

"I think that Stanford is a great school. But I think that what's more important is what Emily thinks." Emily smiled inside on hearing this. Everyone had been answering for her, not letting her answer for herself. "I mean," Paige continued, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the school that I wanted to go to. I wouldn't want anything less for Emily."

All eyes turned to Emily. "Well," she said, choosing her words carefully, "I would love to go to Stanford. They've got a great team and great academics, but those aren't the only things that are factoring into my decision. I mean, three thousand miles is a long way."

Emily had come to realize that much of the allure of Stanford had been that it represented a break with her past; an opportunity to reinvent herself, where no one knew her. Now that she was with Paige, that wasn't really a need. She had been able to start shedding her "Shy Emily" past without having to leave Rosewood.

"Oh, long distance relationships aren't so bad! Pam and I had to spend time apart when we were first dating and I was just starting my Army career."

Pam shot Wayne a withering look. She saw it as putting Paige on the spot, implying that she should be willing to commit to a long-distance relationship after less than three months with Emily. Wayne looked back at her, confused.

Emily was well acquainted with long-distance relationships. She loved her father, and she respected his career, but she hated the times that he was away. Even though her parents had been able to make it work, she wasn't sure that it was the kind of relationship that she wanted.

"We've actually discussed the distance," Paige said, breaking the tension, "and, fortunately, I don't have anything tying me to Rosewood. So, if Stanford is the place for Emily, then California, here we come!"

Pam and Wayne were both shocked. They dropped their hands to the side of their plates for a moment of awkward silence. "Really?" Pam asked Emily. When Emily nodded, Pam turned her gaze to Paige, who just shrugged.

"I didn't enter into this relationship with your daughter casually," Paige explained. "I'm in it for the long haul."

"But, I still want to keep my options open," Emily said, realizing how that sounded as soon as the words came out of her mouth. "My options for _school_ ,"she corrected herself immediately, grabbing Paige's arm. "I'm in it for the long haul, too!" Paige pretended to wipe her brow in relief, and everyone shared a laugh.

* * *

"I feel bad that Shana was all alone for Thanksgiving. She should've joined us," Emily said, handing Paige a stack of plates for the dishwasher.

Paige laughed under her breath. "Believe me. Shana will _never_ be alone."

Emily giggled, caught off guard. "It would have been interesting, though, to see how that college conversation would have gone down if she had been here, too."

"Yeah, what was that? Your parents don't pull any punches, do they?"

"Sorry," Emily said, kissing Paige's shoulder. "I should've warned you that dinner time is discussion time. It's always been that way."

"Even on Thanksgiving?"

"Sorry," Emily repeated.

"It's all right," Paige shrugged. "I just wasn't expecting it."

"Do you want to run?"

"Of course not!"

"Get a hotel room for the next month?"

"Only if you're coming with me! And, by the way, I'm only considering the hotel option you can get a little bit... you know, loud!"

Emily gawked at Paige in shock. "Oh yeah, Paige. As if _I'm_ the loud one!"

"Anyway, Shana will be with us tomorrow." Paige rapidly changed the subject. "Anything I should know about you and your high school friends?"

"Hey!" Emily protested, punching Paige on the shoulder. "Don't call them that! It makes me sound like a child!"

"You certainly don't punch like one!" Paige laughed. "I meant _your friends from high school..._ Anything that I need to be on guard against?"

"No, I don't think so. Well, Spencer can be a little protective around me. They all can, actually, but Spencer can be a little aggressive."

Paige was confused. "It's not as if you _need_ any protection?"

"Not with you, I don't. Think of the Emily from the first day of class."

Paige nodded in understanding, then broke into a smile. "You were so ador..." Emily cut her off with a piercing glare that was anything but adorable. "A dore - a door - a door to my future! I could tell even then!"

"Yeah, nice save, McCullers!"

* * *

Once the dishes were done, Emily and Paige joined Emily's parents in front of the TV. Pam was curled into Wayne on the couch. "I don't know what to do with myself after Thanksgiving dinner, since the decorations are already up," she confessed.

"Watch football, like the rest of the country," Wayne said, gesturing toward the TV. "We've got a whole month to watch this Hallmark fluff, but Thanksgiving is for football, am I right Paige? Help me out! I get out-voted every year!"

"Unless you're talking about Penn State football, I'm afraid that you're on your own!" Paige wasn't about to leap into the middle of a family feud. She settled onto the loveseat, a respectable distance from Emily. Emily moved closer, pulling Paige's arm around her.

"Ah! A diplomat!" Paige didn't know whether Wayne said that out of admiration or disdain, but he laughed, so she did, too.

* * *

Paige was a little surprised that Emily lay facing her when they finally made it up to bed. Emily had her hands on Paige's shoulders and her legs leaning persistently into Paige's legs. She was smiling as she began kissing Paige. "So, you'd come out to California with me?"

"Of course I would!"

"You'd follow me anywhere?"

"Yes, Em. You deserve the best of everything. I've had my day in the sun. Now, I want to be there to watch you enjoying yours."

Emily couldn't stop kissing her.

"Emily, I'm going to have to ask you to stop, or..."

"Or what, Paige?"

"Your parents are right down the hall!"

"So? They're going to be down the hall till New Year's. Are you telling me that we're going to sleep in the same bed and stay celibate till New Year's?"

_That would be a record for us,_ Paige thought. All that she could say was, "Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. What are we doing, Em?"

"We're going to have to get over the hump sooner or later," Emily said sternly. "It may as well be tonight." Then, Emily stopped playing fair. She lowered her head and began pressing soft kisses to the side of Paige's neck, working up to her earlobe with she nibbled gently before she moaned, long and sensuously, into Paige's ear. Paige let out a moan of her own, and Emily quickly covered Paige's mouth with her hand, kissing her softly on the lips before she pulled down the collar of Paige's shirt and started kissing and nibbling at her breasts.

"Fuck, Em!"

Emily let out an evil chuckle from deep within her throat. "That's the plan, Paige!"

* * *

Paige kept yawning, apologizing with each occurrence, as she and Emily sat in front of their coffee cups and pastry, awaiting their friends. "I've got to stop doing that," she said.

Thanksgiving night had ended up being a late one.

Emily was hyped on nervous energy. That's the reason that they were at The Brew so early. Emily was too on edge to wait. Worlds were about to collide, as Emily's friends met Paige and Shana.

Emily desperately wanted Spencer and Aria to give Paige a chance. She knew that Paige would make a good impression if only they gave her the opportunity to do so. Emily's knee was bouncing up and down under the table. Her semi-conscious girlfriend didn't seem in any condition to make a good impression.

"Drink some more coffee, Paige! How long does it take for the caffeine to kick in?"

"Caffeine doesn't work on me. I've built up an immunity. Too bad you can't just give me some of _your_ energy," Paige said through a yawn, letting her hand take the free ride on Emily's bouncy knee. "You're hyped enough for the two of us!"

"I wish I could!" Emily asserted. "It's not going to look good if you yawn at everything that my friends say!"

"Sorry, Babe," Paige yawned, "but you're the one who kept me up all night!"

"Paige!" Emily said softly, tilting her eyes down. "That kind of talk isn't going to go over well, either!"

"No?" Paige feigned innocence. "So, I shouldn't bring up how much you like it when I do this?" Emily shrieked as Paige's hand snuck under her dress. "Relax, Em," Paige said. "I'm just going to be myself. That's the person whom I know the best."

Emily smiled, a bit more relaxed. "Your self is perfect." Emily leaned in with a kiss. As her lips left Paige's, she heard "Awwww!" and looked up to see Hanna with her hands clasped underneath her tilted head with the same expression that she had when she watched cute-puppy Vines. Aria was behind her with a wide-eyed smile. Spencer, next to Aria, was rolling her eyes at the public display.

"Spencer, stop!" Hanna chided, not having to look behind her to know how Spencer had reacted. "It's beautiful!"

Spencer raised her hands submissively. Paige got the impression from the way that Spencer acquiesced that she had been forewarned not to judge.

Emily stood to hug Spencer and Aria, whom she hadn't seen since the start of the school year, and Hanna. Paige stood as well, and Emily introduced her. Paige gave Aria a hug, but, for some reason, she was more guarded with Spencer. She approached her warmly, but she had the feeling that hugging status was something that she had to earn from Spencer Hastings. Paige gave her a shoulder-squeeze on her way to give Hanna a hug.

The girls took their places around the table. Paige realized that Hanna - or perhaps, Emily - had filled the other two in on her back-story, because they didn't ask the perfunctory "getting to know you" questions. Aria engaged Paige in casual chit-chat. Spencer was more aloof, observing so that she could make a reasoned judgment, Paige deduced. She could respect that.

Paige was relaxed and easy and, as she had promised Emily, she was entirely herself. When she stretched her arm around Emily's shoulder, Emily forgot herself for a moment. She nestled in, leaning her head into Paige's shoulder with a contented sigh. Her head sprang up almost immediately when she remembered that they were there with friends - friends who were smiling condescendingly at the cuteness of the move.

* * *

"Sorry - morning drama!" Shana exclaimed as she burst through the door in a whirlwind, her hands up in contrition. She leaned over each of the diners, offering them a kiss on the cheek and her name, and telling them "Don't get up." She draped her coat over the back of the chair next to Paige's and sat down in it. Hanna smiled, and Emily cringed inside, dreading whatever it was that was about to come out of her best friend's mouth.

"So, gays on that side," she said, pointing to across the table, "straights on this side?" Shana looked at Paige, puzzled. Paige passed the look down to Emily. The next words from Hanna's mouth were, "Ow! What the hell, Aria! That wasn't offensive!"

The girls settled into a conversation, and, soon the Penn State/Rosewood barrier disappeared. It was just six friends sharing coffee. Spencer, satisfied with what she saw and heard from Paige, relaxed and joined in.

Spencer liked the way that Paige kept almost constant physical contact with Emily. She liked that, even when Paige's eyes were on the person to whom she was talking and not on Emily, she was still attuned to Emily, sliding her the sugar or a napkin without having to be asked. But what impressed Spencer the most was what had impressed Emily's mom: The fact that Emily was free to be herself. She could initiate contact and Paige would respond. She could joke with - or even contradict - Paige, and Paige responded with a smile and a squeeze of Emily's hand. It was reassuring to see.

Spencer made a point to smile at Emily when she knew that she was in Paige's peripheral vision, to let Paige know that she had passed the Hastings test.


	14. The Road Trip

"So, what are you guys doing this afternoon?" Aria asked, as their lunch together came to a close.

"We're heading over to Philly to see the Christmas show in the Comcast Center lobby, and check out the tree and the rest of the Christmas stuff," Emily told her.

"You guys should come with us," Paige offered, and Emily's eyes lit up. She was really enjoying hanging out with her friends again, and the fact that Paige and her friend were getting along with Emily and her friends, at Emily's favorite season of the year, made it even more special.

"Yeah - come with us!" she urged, grateful that Paige was the one who had brought it up. After working out some logistics, they decided to meet at the Reading Terminal Market and work their way west.

Their first stop was the Christmas show at Macy's. The show was quaint and dated, but Emily cherished the memory of it from her childhood, back when the store was still named after its founder, John Wanamaker. Emily smiled as she saw the children perched around and on top of the eagle, where she herself had perched so many years ago. They stayed to listen to the pipe organ, which sounded as majestic as ever.

Next, they looked at some of the booths in the Christmas Village at City Hall before heading across the street to Love Park to take some pictures by the tree. They waited in line for the obligatory picture of Emily and Paige under the Love sculpture. They hit Liberty Place, to get some pictures in front of the massive tree in its lobby - despite Emily's objection on principle at the fact that the tree was artificial. Before they left the building, Hanna spirited Emily away for some top-secret shopping in Victoria's Secret, while Wayne treated the rest of the ladies to some Auntie Anne's pretzels.

The climax of the trip was the show on the massive video screen at the Comcast Center. Paige was skeptical when she saw the crowds already starting to fill the lobby as soon as the previous show finished, but Emily assured her that it was worth it.

The mood and the conversation were light as they waited. Hanna confiscated Emily's Victoria's secret bag after she caught Paige trying to sneak a peek inside. "Now, you behave," she chided, "or I'm going to march back to the store and get Emily's money back!"

The smile spread wide across Paige's face once the last of the short videos ended and the actual Christmas show began. Emily spent most of the performance looking at Paige's reaction, smiling as much at Paige's enjoyment as she did at the show itself. She retained a firm, joyful grip on Paige's arm. Even with all of the people crowded into the lobby, it still felt as though it was just the two of them sharing the spectacle.

When the last notes played out and the artificial snowflakes started falling, Paige turned and, overwhelmed with glee and amazement, gave Emily a kiss that felt more like midnight on New Year's than at a Christmas show on Thanksgiving. Hanna added a heart-frame when she Instagrammed the image.

* * *

Emily and Paige were texting each other in the back seat of Wayne's SUV while Shana slept, sprawled out in the back row.

**McHottie: come on, Em! What did you buy at VS?**

Hanna had taken the bag back to Rosewood in Spencer's car, for fear that Paige would lull Emily to sleep and take a peek into the bag.

**Legz4Days: wouldn't u like to know? :)))**

**McHottie: yessssss! plz?**

**Legs4Days: you'll find out soon enough...  
Legz4Days: on our honeymoon! :D**

**McHottie: :'(**

**Legz4Days: oh, P... jk!  
Legz4Days: but patience is a virtue. it'll be worth it, I promise. **

**McHottie: yes, you're worth it. 3**

Emily leaned onto Paige's shoulder to take a nap. She tilted her head back to give Paige a quick kiss, but it shortly turned into a full-blown make-out session. Paige suddenly wished that they were the ones in the third row, rather than Shana. It was dark out, so they had a bit of privacy. Wayne was the only other person in the car who was awake, and his eyes were on the road. For the most part.

* * *

"So, should we stop by Hanna's?" Paige asked as soon as she and Emily made it up to the bedroom.

"You want to go see Hanna this late?" Paige leaned her head in and quirked her eyebrow toward Emily. "Oh, _Paige_. We're not going over there tonight. I told you - it'll be worth the wait!"

"Of course it will, Emily." Paige gave Emily a kiss, and did her best not to pout until she was out of Emily's sight, heading down the hall to brush her teeth and get ready for bed. Her pout turned into an open mouthed gawk when she returned to see Emily in a short, black, satin robe which lay open, exposing a tiny black teddy that was sheer in the front and all but non-existent in the back. Emily's hips were framed by black satin boxers. She had let her hair down teasingly over her shoulders and chest and finished the look with a pair of black slingbacks with a stilleto heel.

Paige had learned a lot about Emily in the short time that they were together, but she had never heard about the secret drop-off point outside the window that Emily and Hanna used, when they were younger, to sneak things past Wayne and Pam.

"Surprise," Emily said shyly, nervously swiveling her left knee back and forth.

Paige was frozen to the spot in shock and awe. The look on her face restored Emily's boldness. "Worth the wait?" she teased.

Paige responded with two long, purposeful strides, crashing her lips onto Emily's as she crashed their bodies onto the bed.

_Definitely worth the wait_ , they both thought.

* * *

Paige and Emily slept in a little on Saturday, but they couldn't stay in bed too long. They had plans to drive down to Delaware, to meet Paige's parents. Paige sat up on the side of the bed and nudged Emily behind her. "Time to get up, Em! We need to get on the road soon."

Emily got up and wrapped one arm around Paige's shoulder and the other around her waist, joining her hands in front of Paige's chest. She leaned her head on Paige's other shoulder. "I'm not sure that I should go, Paige. They probably want to spend some time with just you."

Paige laughed. "What's the matter, Emily? Are you afraid of meeting my parents?"

Emily dove back down on the bed and buried her head under the sheet. Paige pulled the sheet up and peeked in. "Emily? Are you there?" Emily looked as if she were about to cry. "Hey, what's the matter?" Paige said, concerned.

Emily grabbed the sheet and put it over her head. "Yes, Paige, I'm afraid, okay?" she said, her voice on the verge of breaking.

"Shit – I'm sorry, Em! I was just joking. I had no idea. I mean, it's not really like you to be nervous!"

Emily emerged from the sheets, yelling defensively. "It's _exactly_ like me, Paige, or have you forgotten?" Paige felt horrible. She _had_ forgotten. "I'm sorry that your girlfriend is a coward. You should just go without me."

Paige lay down next to Emily and caressed her cheek. "Emily. I'm sorry. I really did forget. I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

"I'm not like it when I'm around my family – or you."

Paige nodded slowly. She chose her words carefully. "I really want you to meet my family, Emily. And I'll be with you the whole time. I promise that I won't leave your side. But, you don't have to go if you don't want to. They'll understand. I understand."

"You promise that you'll stay with me?"

"I won't leave your side."

"I'm sorry, Paige."

"No need to be."

"I hate being like this."

"I love you."

Emily nodded. "I might be really clingy. Just so you know. I'm sorry," she said, looking away.

Paige kissed her head, then tilted her face up so that she could kiss her lips. "Clingy is okay with me, Em. I _like_ clingy."

"Oh, God, Paige. I'm so pathetic."

Paige took Emily's face in her hands and looked deep into her eyes. "Don't ever say that, Emily," she said pointedly. "Okay?" Emily nodded. "Come here," Paige said, easing Emily back into a lying position.

"What?" Emily asked.

"Just let me hold onto you for a little bit before we get going, okay?"

Emily nodded and gave Paige a kiss before she turned her back and leaned into Paige, keeping a tight hold on her hand. "I love you, too, Paige."

Paige pulled her phone off of the nightstand and texted her dad that they would arrive a little later. Once the message was sent, she returned the phone to its charger and wrapped herself around Emily.

* * *

"I don't know," Paige said as she mulled over Emily's question. "My Dad can be kind of a goofball, but a lot of people find him… scary." Paige looked over and saw the panic on Emily's face. She gave her a reassuring smile. "He's not really, scary, though. He's a big softie."

"To you, maybe!" Emily wasn't trying to hide her panic. "What was he like to your other girlfriends?"

Paige shrugged. She didn't really have a girlfriend to take home with her in college. She tried to find the answer that Emily was looking for: How would Nick McCullers treat her. "How can I put it? He's just different. Either he's telling corny jokes and really punchy, or he's just quiet. And people seem to think that quiet equals angry, especially because his natural expression is a scowl." Paige could see that she wasn't easing Emily's fears any. "Just, don't worry. He's a big teddy bear, really."

Emily smiled weakly. "And your mom?" She was hoping for something more encouraging.

"She's a sweetheart. Very touchy, very huggy. She's going to love you." Paige gave Emily's knee a squeeze. "They both are, Em."

* * *

When they pulled into the driveway, Emily got a glimpse of Nick McCullers standing on the porch with his arms folded in front of him, the look on his face reminding Emily of the way her father looked standing on the porch when she missed curfew. _Why is he just standing there waiting for her – us?_ She wondered.

Paige put the car in park and gave Emily a smile. She squeezed her hand and leaned in to ask, "Are you okay?" Emily smiled. She wasn't, but it was too late to do anything about it.

Paige opened Emily's door and took Emily's hand to help her out of the car. She maintained the grip on that hand as she led Emily up to the porch. Emily stayed a step and a half behind, subconsciously hiding behind her girlfriend as they approached her father.

It wasn't until Paige was a step or two away from him that Nick's expression softened, morphing into a huge grin as he hugged his daughter. "I missed you so much," she whispered.

"So, who's this? The roommate?" he said with a smile as they broke from the hug and he took a step towards Emily. Paige rolled her eyes towards Emily and sighed, "This is my _girlfriend_ , Emily."

Nick gasped. "You're _gay?_ Does your mother know?"

"Just ignore him," Paige said to Emily, trying to sound annoyed, though her smile was saying the opposite. " _He_ thinks that he's a lot funnier than the rest of the world does!"

"That's true, Emily," Nick said, "judging by the reactions of the hundreds of Paige's girlfriends whom she's brought through. They never laughed at my jokes!"

Paige gasped in genuine shock. "Daddy!" she protested, smacking his shoulder.

Nick recoiled in fake pain. "Do you see how she treats her poor old man?" Emily wasn't sure what was going on, but it actually made her feel a bit more relaxed around Nick. "So, do you have any luggage, or are you just stopping by for a free meal?"

"First of all," Paige said, "unless you're reimbursing me for gas, it's hardly free, and, second, I thought, I don't know, maybe I'd introduce my girlfriend to my mother first, if that's all right."

"She's waiting for you. Just pop the trunk, Squirt. I'll grab your stuff."

Paige handed Nick her keys and thanked him. She put her hand behind Emily's back to usher her inside. "You okay?" she muttered, squeezing her arm around Emily's waist a bit.

"I'm fine," Emily replied, squeezing Paige's shoulder with a huge smile on her face.

* * *

"Mom?"

"In here, Hon!" Paige took Emily's hand and led her into the kitchen. Paige's mother wiped her hands on a towel and grabbed both of Emily's as she said hello.

"Hello, Mrs. McCullers," Emily said, and the woman threw her head back and laughed, placing one hand on her heart and the other on Emily's shoulder. "Okay. You've done the obligatory thing and called me 'Mrs. McCullers.' Now's the part where I tell you to call me Colleen!"

Emily smiled and nodded. Nick, passing by on his way upstairs with the luggage, couldn't resist getting in a dig. "Maybe we'll be calling you Mrs. McCullers someday, Emily!" Emily opened her eyes wide in shock. Colleen shook her head, smiling wryly. Paige tried her best to take it in stride.

"Paige, Hon, why don't you take Emily upstairs and show her where everything is. We can eat in about a half hour."

When Paige showed Emily to the bedroom, Emily was slightly surprised to see that Paige's dad had put all of the bags in the room. "Whoa – your dad's okay with us sharing a bed?"

"Well, let's ask him! Dad, are you okay…" Emily clapped her hand over Paige's mouth and tackled her onto the bed. As she sat on her knees with Paige on her back beneath her, Emily was starting to get ideas, but it wasn't the time or the place. Paige leaned up and kissed her. "Thank you for coming with me, Emily."

"I'm glad that I came, Paige. I'm so glad that I didn't give in to my fears."


	15. The Emotional Overload

Nick was on his best behavior over lunch. Emily had a hunch that Colleen had had a private word with him and told him to ease up. Emily hadn't been put off by Nick's antics. At the same time, she did enjoy having regular adult conversation over the meal.

Emily was smiling as her eyes alternated between Paige and her parents. She was enjoying their interaction with each other. It became obvious that Paige was a daddy's girl. Emily was seeing a side of her girlfriend that she had never seen before. She found it endearing.

* * *

"You really love your dad," Emily observed as she and Paige got ready for bed.

Paige found herself smiling. "My Dad's great," she mused. "My Mom's great, too - don't get me wrong. I mean, we have some epic screaming matches, but I love her. I don't know - yeah, I really love my Dad," she concluded, not really knowing how to put everything that she was thinking into words; finally settling for echoing Emily's original statement.

"So, how was it when you came out to them? Let me guess: You told your dad and let him break the news to your mom?"

Paige grinned. "That would've been the way to do it, right? Actually, I told my Mom first. I knew what I was getting with her, you know? I knew that we'd yell it out, we'd work it out, and then everything would be okay. But my Dad..." Paige trailed off, starting to get emotional. Emily put a hand on Paige's wrist. Paige took a seat on the bed and Emily sat with her, looking deep into her eyes. Her hand was still on Paige's wrist.

"We don't have to do this, Paige."

Paige shook her head. She raised her fingers to wipe her eyes dry. Emily rubbed her shoulder. "My Dad never got angry with me. Not once. He could get mad at my Mom, or at my friends or at - I don't know - the world; anyone. Anyone except me. When I fucked up, he would just get really disappointed." Paige swallowed a lump in her throat. "And whenever he did, it killed me," she continued, her voice getting higher as she tried not to cry. "It still kills me. I can't take it when my Dad is disappointed in me. So, the thought that he might be disappointed by who I am - something I can't control - something that's not going to change..."

Emily pulled Paige's head onto her shoulder, stroking her hair comfortingly. Paige took a deep breath. Several deep breaths. She sat up and continued, trying to laugh it off. "You sure that you want to hear all of this?"

Emily was going crazy with anticipation. She knew, of course, that the story ended well, but she wanted to know what Paige had gone through. But she didn't want to rush Paige - or to force her to discuss it at all. "Only if you're sure that you want to tell me," she said. She was holding both of Paige's hands and focusing steadily into her eyes.

Paige pulled one of her hands away to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. She forced a smile. "So, I told my Mom, when my Dad was away on a business trip. She stood up and walked in circles around the room, and she yelled, but not because she was angry. She was just trying to figure it out." Paige chuckled. "When did it start? Was I seeing someone? Was ever going to have children? Was I going to the prom, and would I wear a dress?

"I was hoping that she would tell my Dad, but she never said a word. She didn't even offer. I didn't ask her to. I guess she knew that it was something that I had to do myself, and she just gave me time to come to terms with it. And she showed me that she loved me, even though it had changed a lot of her expectations."

Paige took another deep breath. "So, one night, I realized that I had to tell him. Worrying about how he was going to react was driving me insane. So, I went into his office and just blindsided him with it."

"Did he take it okay?"

"He just laughed. He didn't even stop typing into his computer. He thought that I was joking. So, I turned his chair around and said, 'Dad!' and he kind of looked at me. 'Oh, you're serious?' 'Yes!' He shrugged his shoulders. 'Okay. Have you told your mother?' - just totally nonchalant. So I said, 'Dad! This is really important!' and he looked at me confused. And I told him that I needed to know how he felt about it and I needed to know that he still loved me.

"So, he stood up and he hugged me, and he said, 'Of course I still love you. If you came down here and told me that you were an axe murderer, I'd still love you. You know that, Paige.' And I said, 'I know that you love me, but I know that I disappoint you, sometimes, too.' He said, 'That's what this is about? You thought that I'd be disappointed? Oh, no, of course not!' And it was just such a weight off of my shoulders, you know? The fact that he didn't even know why I would expect him to be disappointed.

"So, that's when I learned just to be upfront with people. Even if they take it badly, not knowing is so much worse."

Emily stroked her hand. "So, it wasn't a bad experience," Paige concluded. "Sorry that I got so emotional. It just - I don't know - I still remember all the fear and dread, and how scary it was."

Emily gave her a hug. "I get it. It's sort of how I felt about meeting your parents this weekend."

Paige nodded into Emily's shoulder. "But it worked out okay, didn't it?"

"It worked out fine," Emily asserted.

Paige let out a deep sigh and tried to collect herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "It was years ago. But, just thinking that my dad..." Paige shook her head and laughed nervously. She pushed the hair away from her face, rubbing the tears away from her cheek in the same motion.

Emily had never seen Paige like this before. She was used to seeing Paige confident, self-assured, and in charge. There was something about seeing her this way, exposed and vulnerable. She scooted in closer to Paige, their knees touching, She put her hands just below Paige's shoulders and pulled her close for a kiss, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Paige let out an exasperated huff and slapped her hands against her thighs. "Don't move," she said, trying to be strong in front of Emily. She stood collected herself a bit before she opened the door.

"Paige, tomorrow morning," Nick started before he saw Paige's eyes, red from crying. Once Paige caught sight of him, her emotions took over again, and she collapsed into his shoulder.

Nick looked over her toward Emily, who was trying her best to look anywhere but at him. "Jesus, Emily, what did you do to her?"

Paige laughed through her tears as she backed away. "Nothing, Daddy. It was nothing."

Nick, still worried, asked Paige, "Did you guys have a fight? Emily, I was just kidding about Paige bringing all of those girls home - honest!"

"Dad," Paige whined. She really needed him to stop. "What did you want?" she pleaded.

"I just wanted to see when you guys wanted to leave tomorrow morning."

"9:00?" Paige asked. She turned to Emily and repeated, "9:00?" Emily nodded, smiling weakly.

Nick nodded, too. "Honestly, Paige, if I..."

"No, dad! We were just talking about stuff. We were talking about... _feelings,_ and it just got..."

"Unnnnnh!" Nick groaned, shaking his hands on either side of his face as he backed away from the room at the mention of feelings.

Paige hunched her shoulders and looked back at Emily with a weak smile, which Emily mirrored. "Now," she said, "Where were we?" She sat down on the bed, hoping that the mood hadn't been shattered for good.

* * *

In the morning, Paige and Emily got up and got dressed for brunch. It was one of those "local favorite" places with long lines for their famous brunches. Paige didn't tell her much about it except to bring her appetite. "This was a great place to go when I needed to load up on carbs," she told her.

The place wasn't much to look at on the outside, and it was equally unimpressive once they finally made it through the doors and into the foyer. Inside, it was a hub of activity, with servers weaving in and out between the tables with the adroitness and precision of a well-choreographed ballet. Looking at the food on the trays that they were carrying, Emily got an idea of what the hype was about. She put her head on Paige's left shoulder and squeezed her girlfriend's right shoulder as she asked, "What's good here?"

"Everything!" Paige replied enthusiastically. "I like the whole grain banana nut waffles with raspberry drizzle," she said. "But get something else," she added, pulling Emily's hand from her shoulder and kissing its knuckles. "That way, we can share."

By the time they were seated, Emily had worked up quite an appetite. The service was quick and efficient. Emily, comparing it to her experience working at the Brew, was impressed. The servers weren't wearing uniforms _per se_ , but black seemed to be the unofficial theme, along with tattoos. The crowd seemed a bit young for Emily. She wondered whether Paige's parents were only there as a concession to their daughter – going because Paige loved the place. But, their server greeted the parents with the familiarity of regulars. It felt good to hear Colleen introduce them to their server as "my daughter, Paige, and her girlfriend, Emily."

"I used to know all of the staff when I lived down here," Paige explained to Emily.

"They turn over so quickly," Nick explained. "If you go away for the summer, you might come back knowing only half of the staff."

After brunch, they took a drive down the coast. The seasonal shops in the Rehoboth Beach area were shuttered for the year, but there were still some local establishments open, and the boardwalk itself was worth exploring. Nick parked the car and they set out on foot.

Colleen grabbed Emily by the arm, telling Paige, "Emily and I are going to duck in here for a bit," pointing out an antique shop. Paige gazed wide-eyed at Emily, remembering her promise not leave Emily alone with her parents. Emily smiled at her, gently patting her forearm to let her know that she was okay.

"I hope that you don't mind, Emily," Colleen said, once they were inside the shop. "Nick and Paige have no patience for antiquing. They always rush me out of these places. But, we don't have to stay long, if you're like that, too."

Emily linked arms with Colleen with a huge smile. "I love antique shopping, Colleen!" The two of them moved at their own pace through the shop, stopping to discuss any items that caught their fancy. Emily stopped to look through a rack of old post cards. "My grandfather used to collect these," she explained. Colleen joined her, telling her a little bit of the history behind some of the local places that were pictured on the cards.

* * *

Emily felt her phone buzz in her pocket and realized that they must have lost track of time. "I'll bet that's my daughter trying to hurry us along." Emily smiled and turned to the side as she pulled out her phone, not wanting Colleen to see the name that Hanna had assigned to her daughter's phone number.

**McHottie: Need me to come rescue you? :D**

Emily shook her head with a smile. She led Colleen back to a corner of the store where she had seen some garish, vintage hats. They put on the two most outrageous ones and took a picture, which Emily texted, without comment, as her reply to Paige. As soon as she hit "Send," she heard the matronly old woman behind the counter clear her throat. When she and Colleen looked in that direction, the woman pointed her pencil toward a sign that read, "Please do not take pictures in the store." Emily tilted her head with an apologetic half-smile, and the woman returned it, with a wink.

Emily found a tarnished pair of salt and pepper shakers in the shape of swans that she thought her mother would like. She bought them as an act of penance for her picture-taking indiscretion.

When Emily and Colleen finally emerged from the shop, Paige extended a bag of salt water taffy and asked, "What were you guys doing in there?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "What do you think?" she smiled. "We were _shopping_ , Paige! Like _adults_!" Paige returned her smile, shaking her head. "Your mom's fun," Emily added. Paige rubbed her back, continuing her arm around Emily's shoulder, pulling her in for a hug.

They got back on the road, stopping along the way to pick up an early dinner; – something fast, because Paige and Emily needed to get back to Rosewood for Monday classes. After rushing through the food, Paige and Emily got packed and exchanged heartfelt hugs with Nick and Colleen, promising that they would be back over the Christmas break.

* * *

"Do you want me to drive?" Emily offered after they got all of the bags into the trunk. Paige shrugged. "You don't have to do all the driving, Paige. I don't mind."

Paige handed Emily the keys, with a weak, "Thank you."

Once they got on the highway, Emily put her hand on Paige's thigh and gave it a light squeeze. "It's nice that we live so close to our parents, isn't it?"

"Uh huh," Paige yawned. "Although that could make it tricky deciding where to spend the holidays, you know?"

"Yeah, maybe we'll have to alternate – Thanksgiving with my parents, Christmas with yours, and vice versa."

Paige smiled. "How far ahead are we planning?" Emily glanced at Paige with a coy smile. "Because 'forever' sounds pretty good to me."

"Yeah? So you're planning on sticking around?" Emily asked, keeping the tone light.

"I'd be a fool not to," Paige replied seriously.

Emily rubbed Paige's shoulder. She could see that Paige was exhausted. "Go to sleep, Babe," she said.

"Are you sure?"

Emily nodded. "I'm fine," she said. Paige bunched up her jacket and propped her head against it, next to the window. She took Emily's hand and gave it a light kiss before encircling it in both of her own hands and placing it in her lap.

* * *

Paige woke up when the engine turned off. "I'm going to get some coffee," Emily said, pointing to the building at the rest stop. "Do you want anything?"

Paige shook her head. "Do you want me to go?" she asked in a groggy voice.

Emily shook her head and rubbed Paige's shoulder. "I'll be right back."

Paige stirred briefly when the door opened and the scent of coffee poured in. The next thing she knew, they were pulling up in front of Emily's house. She joined Emily at the trunk, to retrieve the luggage. Emily turned her around. "I've got this, Paige. Just leave the door open for me."

"Emily…" Paige protested sleepily.

"Go to bed, Paige. Let the young people take care of the heavy lifting."

Paige turned around to give Emily a kiss. She almost fell asleep on Emily's shoulder. Emily propped up Paige's head and asked her, "Do you need me to carry you inside, too?"


	16. The Scouting Season

Things really picked up in the month between November and Christmas break. Emily's swim coach from Rosewood High, Coach Fulton, had pulled a considerable number of strings to arrange for several scouts to come out over the break to see Emily swim. Almost all of them had recruited Emily before her accident, but, despite the reports from her physical therapist and other independent doctors who examined her, they had severe doubts that anyone would be able to recover from that kind of injury and be able to swim at an elite level again. All of them knew Coach Fulton. Rosewood had been churning out top-of-the-line swimmers for years under her tutelage. When she was willing to put her considerable reputation on the line, they took notice.

Emily did not disappoint.

Once it became apparent that Emily was going to start getting offers, she and her parents decided that she should forgo the spring semester at Hollis and concentrate on her plans for the fall. Pam came stayed in Rosewood so that she could accompany Emily on college visits. Paige was Emily's training partner.

* * *

"What do you think about this school?" Emily said, holding up a brochure from Penn State.

"Great school, great school," Paige laughed.

"Would you come visit the campus with my Mom and me?"

"Absolutely, if you want an unbiased opinion!" Paige hadn't been able to travel with Emily on most of her campus visits, but, with Penn State so close, she was able to shuffle her schedule and be there for at least part of it.

* * *

During the drive, Emily could see how excited Paige was at the prospect of being back in State College.

"You're really cute, do you know that?"

"What?" Paige asked, momentarily taking her eyes off of the road.

"You're like a kid driving to Disneyland – well, not _driving_ , but you know what I mean."

Paige shrugged. "I haven't been back for a while. I guess I didn't realize how much I've missed it. I can't wait to see the old place again – see the team and the coaches again…"

Emily wondered for a moment whether or not there was a special teammate whom Paige was looking forward to seeing again. She dismissed the thought immediately. Paige had told her that she didn't date seriously when she was at Penn State, and Paige had always been honest with her.

Emily placed her hand in Paige's lap, fleetingly checking the back seat to make sure that Pam was still asleep. Not that she was doing anything wrong or unusual. It just felt weird, with Emily's mom in the car with them. "So, are you going to try to influence me to go to Penn State?"

Paige smiled. "Emily, Penn State was right for me, but that doesn't mean that it's right for you. I've told you: You should go to whatever school you want. You've earned it."

After the three checked into the hotel, Pam stayed behind to give Paige some time to show Emily around the campus. Pam was there for the formal meetings with the coaches and the admissions office. Paige was there to give an insider's view.

* * *

Emily held Paige's hand tight as they walked around campus, proud to be linked with Paige McCullers. She couldn't stop smiling at the way that Paige gushed over all of her old haunts, in and around campus. Paige was some kind of local hero, at least in the places where she took Emily. Every shop and restaurant owner seemed to know her, and the owner of the pizza place where they had lunch insisted that their lunch was on the house.

Emily really got a glimpse of what a hero Paige was when Coach Murphy had her address the current women's swim team. Most of the swimmers had been on the team with her, and those who hadn't knew her by reputation. Emily found herself holding tight onto Paige's hand again at the team dinner afterwards, but, this time, she did it more out of possessiveness than of pride.

"That Whitney seems pretty aggressive," she commented as they headed to the car for the drive back to the hotel.

"Yeah? You should see her in the pool!"

"I'm more concerned about _out_ of the pool."

Paige picked up on what Emily was saying. "Emily, these girls were just kids when I was here. There was never anything between us."

"They were older than _I_ am, Paige."

Paige stopped dead in her tracks, pulling Emily to a halt as well. "You really don't get it, do you, Em?" Paige was surprised, not annoyed. She hoped that her words had come out that way.

"No, Paige. I really don't. Explain it to me." Emily sounded close to tears.

"Emily, you're… the exception to the rules. I never would have gone after a freshman – especially not one who was taking my class. Only you. Do you remember the oatmeal cookie incident? When I thought that it was Hanna who was leaving me the notes?" Emily nodded. "Well, when Shana and I discussed it, she said, 'Well, that's cool! Hanna's pretty hot.' But I told her that I wasn't interested in a relationship with a freshman. And I wasn't, Em. It was you. Only you. Always you."

Emily lowered her head and offered her arms to Paige in a hug. "I know that you feel that way, Paige. It's just – I…"

"You never have to apologize for how you feel, Emily. And you can be honest with me. I love you, and it's up to me to make sure that you're secure in this relationship."

"I trust you, Paige. You never give me a reason to feel insecure."

"I know that you trust me, Emily. And that means a lot. But it doesn't mean that you won't ever worry. And you're allowed." Paige shrugged. "Just as long as we talk about it – the way that we're talking about it right now."

Emily nodded her head into Paige's shoulder before she looked up into Paige's welcoming eyes with a smile. "Thank you," she said simply.

* * *

On Saturday, Pam and Emily attended their meetings with the coaching staff and an assistant dean of admissions. Later, during Emily's one-on-one meetings and the meeting with all of that year's prospective swimmers, Paige and Pam spent some time getting to know each other better over lunch. Paige took Pam to one of the quieter bistros off campus, where it wasn't so loud as to drown out their conversation.

"So, do you think that my daughter has a shot at Penn State?"

"I think that Emily will have the opportunity to pick and choose, Pam. She's really _that_ good."

"Are you hoping that she'll choose Penn State?"

"Honestly?" Pam nodded. "I'm just hoping that she chooses the school that _she_ wants. I've told her, I consider myself fortunate to have been able to go to my first choice school, and I want the same for her."

'Even if it's in California?"

"I know that she's had her eye on Stanford," Paige said with a smile.

"And you would follow her out there?"

"Absolutely. I'd follow her anywhere. I'd be a fool not to."

"Well, I guess that I know that feeling. I remember when I told Wayne the same thing."

"And now?"

Pam took a deep breath. "It's not so simple, is it? I mean, don't get me wrong: I love my husband, and I don't regret a moment of these last 23 years. But the life of an Army spouse is hard. And I know that it's hard on Emily, being away from her father for such long periods of time, and always having wonder whether or not he's okay." Paige took hold of Pam's hand. "And with her being an only child." Pam trailed off. Paige allowed her to collect her thoughts. "Sometimes, I wonder, if it hadn't been for Wayne's career, whether we would have had a bigger family. Not that the Army is the reason that we only had one child. Of course, plenty of servicemen have large families." Pam paused before quickly interjecting, "And, I don't mean to say that Emily's not enough for me, you know? I mean, when she came out, people used to say, 'Oh, it must be hard, your only child is gay' – as if I lost my one shot at a ' _normal_ ' child. So that's not what I'm saying. I mean, I know that it's tough on Emily, too, to be an only child."

"Oh, believe me, I know it."

"Oh, yeah, of course!"

"It's hard when the only people you live with are adults. You can't play with them or argue with them the way that you can with kids your age. They always have the final word. Yes, you get all of your parents' attention," Paige rolled her eyes at what she always heard from friends who _weren't_ only children, "but that's not always a good thing."

Pam nodded in recognition, having seen Emily's frustrations on these points. Paige continued, "And people used to tell me how lucky I was – they _still_ tell me – and they're the same ones who alway say stuff like, 'Oh, I'm going to my brother's for Thanksgiving,' or, 'My sister is taking me shopping.' Do you know how many times I've wanted to be able to say something like that?"

Pam nodded with a sympathetic smile. "So, I take it that you want a large family?"

Paige smiled. "Are you asking because you want a lot of grandchildren?"

Pam's mouth flew open in shock. Of course, Paige was joking, but the fact that she was joking about starting a family after knowing Emily for barely six months caught her off guard. "Sorry," Paige said, "I didn't mean to freak you out."

"And I didn't mean to freak out," Pam replied, regaining her composure. "But I get the feeling that there was some seriousness behind your question."

"Pam, I know that I haven't known Emily for a long time, but, I don't know. We have a connection. I mean… I don't know how to put this. Just, well – do you believe in fate?"

Pam laughed. "I'm not sure that I do, no." Paige nodded her head. Before she had a chance to try to come up with another way to explain her thoughts, Pam grabbed her hand and added, "But, I don't need to, Paige. I can see what you and Emily have. I can see who she is when she's with you. I won't say that you complete her, but I will say that you allow her to be complete. Now, whether that's fate or true love, or whatever, I don't know. But I trust my daughter. I know that she has a good head on her shoulders. So, you don't have to win me over. If Emily's as serious as you are, that's good enough for me."

"Thanks, Pam. Paige put her hand on top of the one that Pam had placed on top of hers. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"You're welcome, Paige. And just to be clear, I said that you don't _have_ to win me over, but the fact is," Pam said, getting up to give Paige a hug, "you already _have_ won me over."

* * *

When Paige got home from teaching and office hours, she saw Emily, knew immediately that something was up. Emily was a bundle of energy. Paige had a pretty good idea what it was about. It was April, and the envelopes had begun coming in from the colleges where Emily had applied. Emily had already heard from Stanford.

"So, you're in a good mood," Paige began. Emily held the envelope with Penn State's shield in the upper left corner, confirming Paige's suspicions. Emily hadn't opened it, but it was thick, which was a pretty good indication. "You didn't open it?" Paige asked.

"I was waiting for you!"

Paige sat on the couch next to Emily. Emily handed the envelope to her mother and held Paige's hand tight. Pam mumbled the text of the acceptance letter until she got to the good part, "Full tuition, room, and board. Emmy!" Pam let out a scream. Emily hugged her girlfriend, and then her mom.

"Same as Stanford," Paige pointed out.

Emily nodded. "I guess I've got a decision to make.

* * *

As they lay in bed that evening, Emily, not turning around to face Paige, addressed her. "Paige?"

"Mm hmm?" Paige responded sleepily.

"Did you – pull any strings to help me get that offer from Penn State?"

Paige laughed. "Believe me, Emily, if I had any strings to pull, I would have. But I didn't need to. You earned this on your own."

"So, Coach Murphy never asked you about me?"

"He did, Emily. But they're not going to make a $100,000 decision on the basis of one alumna's opinion. Especially not the girlfriend's opinion."

Emily turned over to look at Paige. "So, what did you tell him?"

"The truth," Paige shrugged. She smoothed the hair away from Emily's face, letting her hand linger in Emily's hair. "He asked me," she said with a sigh, "based on how severe your accident was, whether he could believe what the scouts were telling him."

"And you said?"

"I told him that, if they made you an offer, they'd never regret it, but, if they let some other school snatch you up, they'd definitely regret it."

"Good answer," Emily smiled, giving Paige a kiss. "You really think so?"

Paige kissed Emily back. "I know so."


	17. The Decision

Over the course of the month, Pam returned to Texas, and Emily invested a lot of time, contemplation, and research into her decision. Ultimately, she narrowed it down to three colleges: Stanford, University of Texas, and Penn State.

To Paige, the choices made sense: Stanford, her dream school, Texas, close to her parents, and Penn State, a validation her girlfriend's choice of schools. Paige knew that Emily wasn't seriously considering Penn State, but she appreciated the gesture.

The night before Emily had arranged to Skype with her parents to tell them her decision, she had a conversation with Paige that, like many of their serious conversations, took place in bed. Emily felt safe there. The fact that the darkness obscured her face and obscured her view of Paige's face helped, too. It was easier to be honest when their emotions weren't so easily read.

"Paige, did you mean it when you said that you would follow me anywhere?"

"Absolutely," Paige said with her broad smile. In the darkness of the room, Emily wasn't sure whether she actually saw the smile or her brain filled in the detail, extrapolating the smile based on that supportive tone of Paige's that had become so familiar to Emily.

Paige was pretty sure that Emily knew that she was willing to follow her to California. They had discussed this since the earliest days of their relationship. She wondered whether the question meant that Emily was giving serious thought to going to Texas; that Emily worried about how Paige would feel about relocating so close to Emily's parents. In that scenario, Paige's actual concern would be that Emily was making the decision for her parents' sake rather than for herself.

Paige was determined to keep an open mind. Paige knew, from the fact that Emily had waited till they got in bed to discuss the issue, that she had something to say, and she was going to give Emily the opportunity to say it.

"What if…" Emily hesitated. "What if I want to go to Penn State?"

Paige laughed out loud. Emily laid her hand flat on Paige's chest, and Paige stopped laughing, realizing that Emily was serious. "Emily, _of course_ I would go to Penn State with you. You know how much of a fanatic I am. But, Emily – " She stroked Emily's hair, resting her hand on Emily's shoulder, "as I always tell you, you need to make this decision for _you._ You might have very few opportunities to choose exactly what you want in life, so you should make the most of this one. I'd hate for you to go to any school and have the thought in the back of your mind, 'What if I had gone to Stanford?' You need to be selfish, this one time. Your parents are going to support you. I'm going to support you. What do _you_ want, Emily?"

Emily looked down at her hands that were tracing the Batman logo on the nightshirt that Paige had worn to bed. "That's just it, Paige. I _am_ being selfish. I know how much you wanted to get away from Penn State."

Paige remembered the conversation that she had had with Emily on their first date, when Emily asked what brought her to Hollis. "Okay, well, yes, I _did_ want a break from Penn State, but I didn't mean a permanent break. You know that I'd be happy to go back there."

"Someday, yeah. But if you go back next year," Emily didn't know quite how to put it, "wouldn't it mean that this past year was a waste?" Paige opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Emily added, "And I know that you met me this year. I'm not talking about that. I mean, if you just end up going back there, it's as though you wasted an entire year that you could have spent in grad school there."

"But, that's just it, Emily. Meeting you was enough of a reason." Paige paused. Emily remained silent, knowing that Paige had more to say. "Emily, do you believe in coincidence?" Paige said at last. Emily looked at her, confused. "I don't believe in coincidence," Paige said confidently. "I'm not talking about the little things – you're a quarter short for coffee, and you find a quarter on the ground on your way to Starbucks. I'm talking about the big things. If it hadn't been for your accident – and I'm not saying that your accident was a good thing – but, if it hadn't happened, you wouldn't have been at Hollis this year. And I wouldn't have been here, either, if I hadn't been burned out on Penn State, and if Shana's grandmother hadn't left her the shop. I've always told you that I felt as if we've known each other all of our lives; that we were meant to be together. So, if this past year is the way that Fate got us together, then it wasn't a waste for me. It was just our lives finally catching up with each other. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah." Emily _did_ get it. "I wouldn't have even started looking at schools if I hadn't met you. I was ready to give up on swimming. God," Emily thought, "if I hadn't decided to go for a swim that night…"

Paige smiled, realizing how glad she was that Emily _had_ decided to go swimming that night. But, back to the subject at hand, she continued, "Emily, I was thinking Stanford, because I know that's what your dream was. And, if you're telling me that, now, your dream is Penn State, then that's my dream, too." Emily nodded. "So, Emily, _is_ that your dream?"

"Yeah. Yes." Emily hesitated before she looked up at Paige with a smile. "I mean, Stanford's a great school, but I'm not the same girl that I was in high school. Do you remember when I told you that I wanted to get away, and have a fresh start, where no one knew the shy, scared Emily?" Paige nodded, very engaged in what Emily was telling her. "Well, I don't need that escape anymore. I no longer feel like that shy little girl. At least not when you're with me. And, when I think about what you just said – If I went somewhere else, I would always wonder about what it would've been like to go to Penn State."

Paige smiled back at Emily as she pulled her in for a kiss. "I hope that it's as great an experience for you as it was for me."

* * *

Emily had arranged to Skype her parents in the evening to let them know her decision. She was nervous all day. Paige was, too, now that she knew that Emily had chosen Penn State. "Do you think that I should wait in the other room when you tell them?"

"Why? You have a stake in this, too."

"I know, but – just, since you chose Penn State, they might want to ask you some questions that they'd feel more at liberty to discuss if I'm not there."

"Oh, Paige!" Emily said dismissively, with a swipe of her shoulder. "They're not going to think that you're threatening me!"

"I know, Em. But they might want to ask you some pointed questions, and they might be reluctant to make things awkward for me." Emily was about to respond, but Paige continued. "Listen, let's just leave it at I'll step out if they start to get uncomfortable, okay? Don't get offended if they question your decision."

"I know, I know, Paige. 'They're my parents. They're allowed to ask questions,'" Emily smiled, mimicking the lecture that she'd heard from Paige before. "But, it's not as if this is totally out of the blue. Of course, I've been discussing it with them."

"Well, you discussed it with me, too, and I was caught off guard."

"Yeah, about that, Paige." Emily looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to say too much to you when I started thinking seriously about Penn State, because I didn't want you to worry that you were, you know, biasing me."

Paige nodded. "I get that, Babe."

"So, it's not that I wanted to ambush you with my decision. I just wanted you to be able to relax, knowing that I came up with it on my own. So, I wasn't as forthcoming with you as I was when I discussed it with my parents."

Paige smiled. She wanted to think that Emily was just being overly cautious in not telling her, but, the more she thought about it, the more that she realized that she would have been worried about having biased Emily. It was still hard for her not to think that partially, somewhere buried deep in her subconscious, Emily was doing this for her.

Emily sighed. "Are you ready?" she asked with a smile as she pulled open her laptop and called her parents.

After they exchanged pleasantries, Wayne got right to the point. "So, what's it going to be, Kiddo?" Emily unzipped the jacket that she was wearing to reveal one of Paige's old Penn State shirts. Pam and Wayne raised their hands and cheered.

"And you're sure, Emmy?" Pam asked.

Emily nodded. "I'm sure! I really think that it's the right fit."

"Well congratulations," Wayne said. "We know that you're going to do well."

"Of course she is," Pam added. "She's going to have a blast, breaking all of her girlfriend's old records!"

Paige shook her head and smiled. She was being a good sport about the teasing, but, in reality, no one wanted to see Emily break her records more than Paige herself did. Emily rubbed her girlfriend's shoulder comfortingly, and Paige played along, launching into an exaggerated pout.

"So, Paige, are you looking forward to getting back to State College?"

"I can hardly wait, Wayne!" Paige beamed.

Once they finished the call, Emily logged on at Penn State and registered her commitment. Once she clicked "Submit," she let out a squeal and gave Paige a hug and kiss.

"So, it's official!" Paige said. "You're a Nittany Lion!"

"Yes, I am! Does that mean that you're going to teach me the secret handshake now?"

"Not until you've entered into the sacred chamber and signed your name. In blood!"

* * *

"You're sure that your parents are really okay with this?"

"You keep acting as if it's a let-down to go to Penn State!"

"Well, no. I mean, I know that Penn State is an excellent school. It's just that, you know. Stanford is considered an _elite_ school." Paige paused. "Maybe I'm just thinking of the way that my Dad always pushed me."

"They're fine with it, Paige. Actually," Emily continued, "it was something that my Dad told me that ultimately convinced me that Penn State was the right choice."

"Really?" Paige was intrigued. "What did he tell you?"

"He said that I could get a good education or a bad education at any school, and that the school's name - its reputation - wasn't what mattered. What mattered is what felt like the best fit for me. And, after seeing the program, meeting the coaches, looking at the campus, and sitting in on some classes, I don't know - Penn State just felt like the place where I belonged."

Paige pursed her lips and nodded. "Yeah. Your dad has a point." She smiled and added, "He's a wise man!"

"I think so!"

* * *

Paige was unabashedly admiring the way that her Penn State shirt hugged Emily's curves as Emily stood in front of the mirror brushing her teeth. She particularly appreciated the fact that the shirt was slightly more snug at the bustline when Emily wore it, as evidenced by the way that it was bouncing as Emily vigorously swished the toothbrush up and down over her teeth. "So, now that you're officially a Penn Stater, I guess you'll be getting your own shirt, and I can have mine back," Paige teased.

Emily smiled through her toothbrush and spat out what was in her mouth. "No way, McCullers!" she said and rinsed. "I'm never giving this shirt up. It's all broken-in and comfortable." Emily crossed her arms in front of herself to rub her hands up and down her sides, enjoying the sensation of the shirt's softness against her fingertips.

The movement sent a tingle through Paige. "Mmm," she said, hugging Emily from behind and running her hands up the shirt on the inside. "Good," she said, kissing the back of Emily's neck. "I like it when you wear my clothes. They look better on you, anyway," she added with another kiss.

"Oh, stop," Emily said, reaching behind her to caress Paige's cheek. She could read the desire in Paige's eyes from her reflection in the mirror. She rinsed out her toothbrush and put it back in the cup, turning around in Paige's arms and picking playfully at the collar on the shirt that Paige was wearing. "So, how do Nittany Lions celebrate good news?" she asked, purring seductively.

Paige grinned, moving her hands up to the back of Emily's head and pulling her face in close. "Would you like me to show you?"

Emily nodded, suddenly weak-kneed with desire and anticipation. The way that she was smiling started Paige's stomach churning, and she could feel the temperature rising between her thighs. Paige was tempted to push Emily up onto the bathroom counter and take her right there, but, instead, she gently took her hand and led her back to the bedroom.

"Paige?" Emily asked as they sat on the bed kissing.

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Are you glad that I picked Penn State?"

"Absolutely!" Paige gave Emily a quick kiss. "If you're glad, I'm glad!"

Emily swung her head to the side in frustration. She had heard that answer one too many times. "I _know_ that you're happy for _me_ , Paige. But are _you_ happy that I'll be going to Penn State?"

"Of course I am, Em," Paige said softly, placing her hand on Emily's cheek, underneath her long, black hair. "I can't wait to tell people that my girlfriend swims for Penn State!"

"So, you're proud of me?" Emily said with a weak smile, not meeting Paige's gaze. Her voice was barely above a whisper, and her hands were twisting at the hem of the Penn State shirt that Paige hadn't managed to get her out of yet.

Paige wrapped an arm around Emily's back as she eased her head down onto the pillow, smiling broadly. " _Penn State_ Proud!" Kissing Emily, she took a more serious tone. "Emily, you've got unbelievable talent. You're an amazing swimmer. Of course I'm proud of you. And you've got a beautiful soul." Se kissed her again, less chastely this time. "Not to mention the package that it comes in."

Emily pulled Paige in close. She had heard enough. She just wanted to be with Paige, and to celebrate.


	18. The Jersey Shore

The rest of the school year was a flurry of activity for Emily, even though she wasn't enrolled in classes. She was strategizing what to take with her, what to leave behind, and what to buy, in preparation for life in the dorms. She chatting with and Skyping the swimmer from Illinois who had been assigned as her roommate, getting to know her, and discussing ideas for decorating their room. Emily was also busy looking through course catalogs departmental requirements.

It was a busy time for Paige, as well. In addition to her school work and TA-ing, she had to work on her transfer admission to Penn State. It helped that the professors in her department were on her side and looking forward to her return to State College, and that she had done well at Hollis during her time away.

"I wish that you and I could live together," Emily whined, closing down her laptop after going through some décor ideas with her future roommate.

"I know, right? That's going to be a big adjustment - not coming home to the same house and sleeping in the same bed every night."

"And some days." Emily smiled weakly. Then, she put her hands behind Paige's neck. "Maybe I could just stay with you."

Paige laughed. "Trust me - you're going to like the athletic dorms much better than the piece of shit apartment that I'm going to be able to afford."

"There's only one thing I need in an apartment."

"What's that?" Paige asked, clueless, and Emily backed away, giving her a look. "Oh - me?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Well, duh!"

Paige chuckled self-consciously. "Well, I'm sure that we can arrange some sleepovers. Especially once the season ends. You're definitely going to want to be close to the team during the season."

Emily let out a deep sigh. "I don't want to think about it anymore."

Paige pulled her in for a long hug. "Neither do I."

* * *

Both of the girls were ready for a break by the time that summer rolled around.

"Are you still sure that you're up for spending a week at Spencer's family's shore house?"

"Absolutely! Jersey Shore – I wouldn't miss it!"

"Un huh…"

"What? I'm excited!"

"Paige, you _know_ that it's not like the show on MTV, right?"

"God, I _hope_ not!"

Emily smiled a coy smile at Paige, walking slowly up to her and slipping her fingers underneath the sleeves of shirt. "What?" Paige asked.

"Well, this is the first time I'll be going to the shore house with a date," Emily responded playfully. "Usually, the girls have their guys with them, and I'm just like 'poor old Emily, unlucky in love.'"

Paige grabbed hold of the arms that were still attached to her shoulders underneath her sleeves. "Well, I'm glad."

"Glad that I don't have to be alone, or glad that I never took anyone up there before?"

Paige moved her hands to Emily's waist and sighed. "Is it bad if I say both? I mean, I know that it's stupid and selfish, but I don't like the thought of you going away for the week with some other girl."

Emily leaned in close, touching her forehead to Paige's. "Is it bad if I say that it feels great to hear that?" She gave Paige an affectionate kiss. "Because maybe it's cool to be the kind of girl who says that she doesn't care about her girlfriend's past, but I don't know. I like having the kind of girlfriend who doesn't want to think about me being with someone else."

"Then I'm your girl," Paige affirmed, smiling into Emily's lips.

After a few minutes of kissing, Emily backed away. She really didn't want to kill the mood, but their discussion had started her mind going, and she knew that she was going to be distracted until she said something. "Paige?"

"Mmm hmm?" Paige could tell that the mood had turned serious.

"We've never really talked about your past relationships. I mean, I know that you and Shana weren't together very long, and I know that you didn't date seriously at Penn State, but I know that I wasn't your first, so…"

"So, you want me to fill in the blanks."

Emily sighed. "We don't have to. I'm just curious."

"Emily, you know me. I don't do secrets. If you want to do this, let's do this."

Emily nodded her head, daring to look up at Paige only briefly. Paige smiled and took her hand, sitting her down on the bed.

"Okay. Well, in high school, I dated a girl for a while – do you want names?"

Emily shook her head. It's not as though the names would mean anything to her anyway. "Are there a lot of names?" she asked.

"No," Paige said, chuckling under her breath. "So, we were together for a while, but it was a big mistake. I mean, I had no business giving myself to someone else when I didn't even really know who I was, you know?"

"So, she was your first?"

"Yep. Lacey Lowman."

Emily giggled at the name. "Sorry. It just sounds like a porno name! 'Luscious Lacey Lowman!'" Paige shook her head with a weak smile. "Your Lady Love!" Emily was getting a kick out of all the Ls. "Not that I'm making fun of your first girlfriend, Paige," she added sincerely, landing her fingers on Paige's bicep.

"I know. It's okay."

"Was she older?"

Paige shrugged. "Not by much. We were both juniors, but I since I started school early, everyone in my class was older than me."

"It was bad?"

"I don't know, Emily. It was my first time, so it was special, I guess. By definition. But, as I said, I didn't even know who I was at the time, so…"

"How long were the two you together?"

"Just about a year. Our love survived the summer, but, when senior year started, we started to fizzle." Emily nodded.

"So, when I got to State College, I met Shana, and we really hit it off as friends. We had a lot in common, both freshman on the team, both from small towns and a bit overwhelmed by the huge campus. We trained together, we ate in the cafeteria together - we did everything except room together. And little by little, we started to wonder, 'Hey, is there something there?'" Paige laughed. "There wasn't. But we were good friends. Great friends. And it never got awkward, it was just – okay, that didn't work out, back to being friends again."

"Huh. That's unusual."

"I know, right? But I'm glad. I'm really lucky to have a friend like Shana. I'd hate to think how different my life would be if I'd screwed that up."

"So, you didn't date anyone else seriously?"

"No. I didn't date that much at all. I went on set-ups a couple of times, but that's not really what I was looking for. And I told myself that I didn't have time for anything serious, so…"

"So, you just had some casual flings." Emily was only half-joking. Joking because she didn't really think that it was true, but serious in part, because she wanted to hear Paige say that it wasn't true.

"One," Paige said. "One casual fling." There was regret in her voice. "I hooked up with a swimmer after a meet at Bucknell. It was one of those things where you know that you'll never see each other again. God, it was so... _I_ was so… Yeah. Anyway, that's when I realized that I'm not one of those people who can do casual sex. I promised myself that the next time I gave myself to someone, it would be someone to whom I could give _all_ of myself."

"Someone like me," Emily teased.

"Exactly like you," Paige affirmed, "even though I didn't know you at the time, I knew whom I was waiting for. Someone whom I could trust, when I gave myself to her, because I knew that she was giving herself just as fully to me." There was hopefulness and trust in Paige's tone.

Emily leaned in and gave Paige a deep, lingering kiss. She stared, unflinching, into Paige's eyes. "You can trust me, Paige."

Paige smiled and returned the kiss. "I know."

"Mmm – I love a happy ending!" Emily concluded, trying to return to the lighter mood of before.

"Well then, hang in there, kid," Paige smiled, "because there's still a whole lot more of this story to be told!"

"I wish that I had known you back then," Emily said after a few minutes more of kissing.

"Yeah. That would've been great, wouldn't it?"

Emily nodded into Paige's chest. "But I'm glad that I got to know you now."

"I am, too, Emily. I can't imagine being without you.

Emily wrapped her arms around Paige's waist and kissed her on the side of her neck. "Well, you'll never have to," she said boldly. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Paige hugged her close, savoring the tightness of Emily's grip around her neck. "I love you so much, Emily."

"I know, Paige. And I love you, too."

* * *

Emily was bubbling over with anticipation by the time the week for the shore trip finally rolled around. She wanted to take Paige everywhere, to show her everything, and to show her off to everyone. It felt good, knowing that she was going to be able to do things with her girlfriend just year. Not just with a girlfriend, though. With Paige.

Emily noticed that she had become a little extra clingy in the days leading up to the trip. Paige noticed, too, but she was careful not to say anything. She was enjoying the way that Emily's hand was always in her hand, on her arm, or around her waist. She didn't want Emily to become embarrassed and pull away. So, Paige just found herself smiling a lot and sighing contentedly whenever Emily's hand made contact, providing subtle reinforcement to let Emily know how much she was enjoying the attention.

They buried the realization that, once school started up, the luxury of physical proximity and contact would be scarce. They enjoyed it in the moment.

* * *

On the drive up to the shore, Emily filled Paige in on some of the rituals and routines. She also told Paige about her friend's boyfriend's. Paige felt a little less creepy about dating her former student - _college student_ \- when she learned that Aria's high school teacher would be spending the week with them.

"Are you going to be okay, being the newbie?"

"Why not? I already know all of the girls. And Caleb. Are they going to be okay with me?"

Emily nodded and smiled. "They'll probably be glad that they don't have to restrain themselves around me. You know how people rein in their affections so that their single friend doesn't feel left out?" Before Paige could say anything, Emily added, "Oh, God. I sound like such a loser."

Paige reached over and stroked her shoulder. "It doesn't make you a loser to wait for the right person. That's what I did, and I'd like to think that I'm not a loser."

Emily glanced away from the road momentarily to smile at Paige. She returned Paige's gesture, stroking her shoulder. "Of course, you're not a loser. You're a dork," she concluded, giving the shoulder a playful punch.

Emily and Paige were the second couple to make it up to the house. Spencer and Toby had arrived on Thursday night and spent most of the day Friday getting the old place in shape.

Emily was excited to show Paige to their bedroom. She insisted that Paige drop the bags in the entryway and immediately head upstairs with her. Emily was almost running, holding Paige's hand and turning back to look at her periodically, the anticipatory excitement written all over her face. Her smile was contagious, but Paige couldn't honestly say whether she herself was smiling in anticipation or in response to seeing Emily so excited.

Emily only slowed her pace when they got to the bedroom. It was the one that she always took; the smallest in the house, because she had been single. She didn't even consider laying claim to one of the other rooms, now that Paige was with her. That just wasn't her way.

The door was ajar, and Emily put both hands on it, peeking into the room as she slowly pushed the door open, as though she were checking for monsters. Once she was satisfied that the room was safe, her smile returned and she turned to Paige, reclaiming her hand as she led her inside.

"This is it!" she said, spreading her arms in front of her like Tiffany Coyne revealing the big deal of the day. She skipped over to the window and pulled the curtain aside, grinning as she took in the view. She reached out her hand, and Paige joined her at the window, holding her from behind as they looked out over the ocean.

After a few moments, Paige sighed and went to sit down on the bed. She sank into a bit, surprised at how plush it was. Emily sauntered over and sat next to her, playing with Paige's fingers on top of the blanket. She hadn't planned it, but she found that all she wanted to do was kiss Paige.

As she leaned in, Paige smiled and moved her hand to the back of Emily's head, gently easing her in for a kiss. Several kisses. Their kissing was slow, tender, and purposeful. It felt like an ending and a beginning; a funeral and a birth; a resolution and a promise. Neither was sure what door they were closing or what door they were opening, but they knew that they were no longer straddling the border. They were crossing over to the other side.


	19. The Shore Sorority

That night, Emily cuddled up tight against Paige in bed. She was nervously picking at imaginary lint on the shoulder of Paige's shirt. She sighed several times before she spoke.

"So. When we were up here kissing before. It was a little - weird, wasn't it?"

Paige nodded.

"It kind of felt as if it meant something."

"It meant something to me!" Paige said with a cocky smile.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious, Paige." Paige nodded in contrition. Emily took a breath. "What did you think that it meant?"

Paige scrunched her eyebrows as she thought. She had nothing. "What do you think, Em?"

Emily disentangled her body from Paige's. She rolled onto her back and let out a huff. After a moment, she leaned up on her elbow, putting her other hand flat against Paige's chest. "Okay, Paige. I'll tell you, because I feel safe with you. I can tell you, and it won't get all weird between us." she glanced up from her hand to Paige's eyes for confirmation.

Paige's eyes were full of acceptance as she nodded her head. "Of course, Em."

"Okay. Well, it kind of felt like... the way that we would kiss... on our honeymoon." Emily glanced up to Paige's eyes again.

"Whoa!"

Emily wanted to ask whether it was a good "whoa" or a bad "whoa," although the expression on Paige's face gave her a pretty good idea. "I mean, not now. Not right away. I mean, I'm barely 19, and I haven't even moved out, yet..."

Paige put her hand in Emily's hair to relax her. "It wasn't that kind of 'whoa,' Em. It was like - you know when someone tells you a riddle, and you can't put it together, but once you get the answer you think - 'Oh yeah! How could I have missed that?'"

Emily laughed nervously. "So, you're not freaked out?"

"Come on, Emily. I think that we both know that this story ends in marriage."

"Well, I _hope_ that's not the end, but, yeah."

Paige lay smiling at Emily, getting lost in her eyes. "Do you know what I was thinking this afternoon?"

Emily shook her head, smiling in anticipation of whatever it was.

"I was thinking that this is how our relationship is, you know? Whether it's you showing me around Philly and the Christmas sights, me showing you around Penn State, or this afternoon with this house. We take these things that we treasure from our past - these things that were _your_ memories or _my_ memories - and we offer them up so that they become _our_ memories. So, I guess that's why 'honeymoon' made sense to me. Marriage is the ultimate giving of two individuals into one whole."

Emily loved the fact that Paige not only validated her feelings but also reinforced them with feelings of her own. Emily expressed that love in a gentle kiss. "Do you know what else couples give each other on their honeymoon?" she asked mischievously.

Paige rolled onto her back. "Come here," she beckoned. Emily sat astride Paige, leaning down to kiss her, but Paige pulled her down on top of herself, breasts against breasts, legs against legs. She wanted to feel the weight of Emily on her, gravity drawing them more deeply into each other. She lay beneath Emily, gently stroking her hair, staring purposefully into her eyes. Emily couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed Paige's face and began kissing her forcefully. She used her left leg to nudge Paige's two legs apart, creating room for her leg to nestle in between them. She struck up a rhythm against Paige's boxers that matched the tempo of their dancing tongues. When Paige began moaning into Emily's mouth, Emily moved the kisses down to Paige's throat. She felt Paige's hands gently smoothing over her ass as her leg continued its persistent rumba between Paige's thighs.

When Paige began tugging at Emily's oversized chemise, Emily sat up and pulled it over her head with a lascivious smile, twirling it over her head before she flung it aside. Paige's attention - and her palms - immediately shifted to Emily's beckoning breasts. Emily moaned under the attention that Paige was giving them as her nipples hardened and her center glistened. She found herself rocking back and forth astride Paige's thigh, her head tossed back in abandon as she raked her fingers through the raven hair on each side of her head.

In one deft motion, Paige sat up, pushing Emily on her back, maintaining the contact of her thigh against Emily's now soaked shorts. Her mouth descended onto Emily's breast, and the hand that wasn't working over Emily's other breast began trailing ever so lightly across Emily's abdomen. The contours that her fingers encountered bore witness to all the hard work and training that Emily had done to get back into swimming.

But Paige's destination was still lower. When she slid her fingers under the waistband, Emily lifted her hips from the bed and shimmied free of her boyshorts.

Paige smoothed her fingers in circles over the slender crop of hair atop Emily's crotch. Emily dug her fingers into Paige's bicep. Paige's movements were driving her crazy with anticipation, and her hips began swirling in time with them. She squeezed Paige's arm again, and Paige knew from the look in her eye that she was ready.

Paige was ready, too. She needed to taste Emily. She left her hand where it was, still moving in circles,as she maneuvered her head between Emily's thighs. Emily let out a gasp and grabbed a fistful of Paige's hair when she felt the warm intrusion of Paige's tongue into her folds. Paige's thumb found Emily clit while her tongue persisted in and out of her.

The room went silent around Paige as Emily's thighs clamped tight around her head. Paige, as ever attuned to Emily's needs, eased away slightly, kissing and nibbling at Emily's thighs before she gently curled her fingers where her tongue had been. Emily cooed appreciatively, the lightness of her caress on Paige's face forming a stark contrast with the urgent, almost frantic workings of Paige's fingers inside her.

"Paiiiige!" Emily shrieked as she finally got relief, her body still twitching long after Paige's fingers had stopped, as wave after wave crashed over her. Paige soothingly stroked Emily's legs, gently kissing her way up from Emily's abdomen to her lips. Emily eagerly pulled Paige into a tight hug once their lips were pressed together.

"So, that must be what honeymoon-sex feels like?" Paige joked, referring back to the all but forgotten conversation that had gotten them started.

Emily lay underneath her with a satisfied smile. "Finally got my shore-house V-card punched," she exclaimed triumphantly.

"I feel so used," Paige smiled, kissing Emily, lest there be any doubt that she was joking. "Am I just a trophy for your shore house wall?"

Emily stroked Paige's arm. "I know that I shouldn't say that. It's just years of hearing the giggling and the murmurs through the walls. I felt so lonely sometimes, like - what was wrong with _me_?"

Paige felt very sad for Emily at that moment. "Well, I'm just glad that I was the one who got to punch your card. I hope that it was worth the wait?"

Emily rolled on top of Paige and kissed her hard. "I'm glad that it was you, too." She kissed her again. "And it was _so_ worth waiting for. But let's not wait so long for the next time."

Paige sat up a little, grinning impishly as she reached her arms around Emily's back. "Easy, there, Stud!" Emily chided. "Give me a minute, and we'll get _your_ card punched before we're back to me."

* * *

Emily didn't want Spencer to make a big deal out of what had happened that night, although she knew that Spencer and Toby had to have heard her and Paige. Emily didn't need any confirmation of that fact, but she got it from the way that Spencer and Toby stopped discussing whatever it was that they had been talking about as soon as Emily and Paige walked hand in hand into the kitchen. Spencer and Toby were smiling to themselves and at each other as they sat at the counter with their eyes fixed on the plates in front of them.

"Good morning," Emily said flatly.

"Good morning," Spencer echoed cheerfully. She seemed to be using every ounce of her inbred and inculcated Hastings restraint to keep from breaking out into celebratory laughter or smothering Emily with a hug. Spencer knew that it wasn't Emily's first time with Paige, but it _was_ Emily's first time at the shore house. She was in the club, now. It was a rite of passage into a sorority that had long been waiting to induct her.

Emily knew the gist of what Spencer was thinking, and she found it a little patronizing and condescending. Paige, with a little emotional distance and neutrality, found Spencer and Toby's happiness for their friend endearing. "So, how'd everybody sleep last night?" she said, not thinking. Emily shot her a withering look of disbelief and rebuke. Had it not been for that look, the rest of them might have picked up on anything suggestive in Paige's question. Once it hit them, Spencer and Toby burst into laughter. Paige laughed nervously, as well, and she nudged Emily to encourage her to get over her embarrassment. Emily shook her head and started laughing, too. Had Paige asked the question as a joke, Emily wouldn't have found it funny, but since it was a perfectly innocent question, Emily had to admit that the situation was funny.

"We slept well," Toby answered, before the laughter had died down completely, "but not as well as you two, obviously!" he concluded, starting off a fresh wave of laughter.

* * *

The dynamic in the house changed that afternoon when Hanna and Caleb arrived. Hanna immediately kidnapped Emily, claiming that she never got quality time with her best friend since Emily left Hollis and started dating. Paige and Caleb stared open-mouthed at each other as their girlfriends trotted off together, Emily with an empathetic pout back to Paige. Paige smiled and waved, to let her know that she was okay.

It helped that Paige and Caleb had so much in common – starting with their affection for the German Shepherd puppy that was running circles around Caleb's legs, tangling his leash and jumping up and down on his hind legs. Paige dropped down to his level, scratching her hands behind his ears and laughing as he eagerly licked her face. "And who's this little guy?" Paige asked, in an eager baby-voice.

"This is Tristan," Caleb said, with a trace of pride. Tristan yipped excitedly at the mention of his name, looking up at Caleb and bouncing up and down in place.

"Looks as if somebody wants to get some exercise, don't you, Tristan?" Paige said, returning to her normal voice as she stood up and turned her attention to Caleb. "Shall we take him out to the ocean?"

"Lead the way!" Caleb said, handing Paige the leash. Her arm was soon extended to its fullest as Tristan rushed eagerly ahead of them. He didn't know where he was going, but he was in a hurry to get there. Caleb slid open the glass door that led to the deck. Paige kicked off her shoes and ran to the shore with Tristan, who kept looking back at Caleb as if to make sure that it was okay.

Tristan was initially timid around the water, but once Caleb peeled off his sweats and jumped in with his board shorts, Tristan was eager to follow. Paige unhooked his leash and let him run to Caleb. She laughed as Tristan got his first taste of the ocean, crashing into Caleb; the two of them crashing under the waves.

Paige went back into the house and scrounged up a blanket and a couple of towels. She sat on the shore watching Caleb and Tristan's horseplay until Caleb finally crawled out of the water and grabbed a towel. Tristan followed on his heels, but before they could towel him off, he shook his coat free of the water, splashing it all over Paige and Caleb. "It's all right," Paige assured Caleb. "It's actually kind of refreshing on a hot day like today!"

* * *

Aria and Ezra arrived that evening, bringing dinner with them. Paige was doing her best not to be critical about their relationship. They were both adults, after all, and Aria was no longer Ezra's student. More than that, though, as she watched them working together in the kitchen, Aria stir-frying vegetables over the stove while Ezra watched over the noodles and tossed together a salad, Paige saw a genuine affection between the two and the way that they enjoyed working together; _being_ together. It didn't seem likely that Ezra was looking to trade Aria in for someone younger after a few months, or, even, a few years.

* * *

"So, what did you and Hanna do all afternoon?" Paige asked Emily as they were finally getting settled for the night.

"Oh, you know Hanna. She said that she wanted to catch up, which meant talking non-stop about herself, Caleb, and the dog, with a few interruptions to make inappropriate innuendos about you and me."

"She wanted to know about last night?" Paige's question was actually a statement.

"Of course! She wanted to know whether I got me some of that McHottie action." Emily laughed. "So, now you can see how much it sucked having to come here alone all of these years."

Paige nodded. "You're a good friend."

"I'm glad that I've got these girls," Emily admitted. "They can cross the line from time to time, but, when it comes down to it…"

Paige scooted closer to Emily under the sheets. "They're good friends," she affirmed.

"So, did you and Caleb find anything to talk about?"

"Actually, quite a lot. He's into graphic novels, too," Paige gushed.

"Oh, God, no." Emily sighed. "Well, at least you found someone whom you can get that all out of your system with."

Emily gave Paige a good-night kiss and yawned.

"Are the girls going to expect a repeat performance tonight?"

Emily laughed. "Probably."

"Hanna and Aria aren't going to feel cheated because they missed it?"

"I'm sure that they've already discussed the whole thing with Spencer, in minute detail." Emily shook her head at the thought.

"Well, if you want, I can scream and moan, and we can rattle the bed against the walls."

Emily laughed out loud. "Oh, God! I wish that I had thought of that years ago! That would _really_ have kept them guessing!"

* * *

Mornings at the shore were spent lazily soaking up the sun on beach towels or on the lounge chairs on the deck.

Afternoons were a bit more active, with long walks or jogs down the beach, or tossing the Frisbee around, and, occasionally, tossing a stick for Tristan to retrieve.

Late afternoon suppers were often prepared and eaten on the deck or in the firepit in the back. Bad weather was the only reason for dinners indoors.

Evenings were filled with games, chatting, coffee and other adult beverages, and lots of cuddling, which led into shore nights.

Nights at the shore were made for love, and all of its various forms of expression were accepted.


	20. The Cuban Restaurant

It was hard for Emily and Paige to say good-bye to the shore house and to their friends. It had been a great getaway: A great time of reconnecting with their friends and with each other, and a great way to unwind from the pressures of swimming and school. Emily and Paige were rested but exhausted. They were glad to have another few weeks of summer before things started up again.

After a low-key week in Rosewood, they headed down to Delaware to spend a couple of nights with Paige's parents and a day at the boardwalk. Shana, who had gotten to know Paige's parents on summer breaks with Paige, had come down, too. She was stopping over on her way to South Carolina where, in a big step for her, she was taking the woman whom she was seeing ("girlfriend" seemed too strong a word) to meet her parents.

Paige and Emily, for their part, were stopping over on their way to DC. Her parents didn't mind. They were used to having family and friends pop in for the day, on their way north or south. It was one of those things that came with living by the shore. They had become very adept hosts and had become masters of the day-trip to Rehoboth Beach.

* * *

Paige kept a keen eye on Shana and her date over dinner, despite Emily's frequent hand-squeezes of rebuke under the table. The scenario was so out of character for Shana. She was never one to take a girl home to meet the parents – or to take a girl anywhere other than to her bed. Maybe coffee in the morning. Paige was trying to find any indication about what made this one different in Shana's eyes, but Shana was treating her with the same, "Oh, you're still here?" nonchalance that she doled out to all of the others.

"It's no wonder you and Shana didn't work," Emily observed on the drive down to DC.

Paige glanced over and smiled. "Why do you say that?"

" _That's_ the way she treats the person whom she's taking to introduce to her parents? If you were that disengaged around me, I'd think that you were mad at me."

Paige nodded. "I guess that's why we're better at being friends than we were at dating. It's as if she puts her guard up as soon as it becomes moves to dating. It was such a relief _not_ to be dating her – we could just be ourselves."

"What happened to her?"

"To make her so guarded? I don't really know. She never gave me any clue. I guess she's just one of those people who's afraid of being vulnerable, you know?" Paige shrugged. "She seems to be enjoying that lifestyle, though. I know that I couldn't live like that."

Emily rubbed Paige's arm. "I know you can't. I'm glad."

Paige smiled over at her. "I am, too."

"So what's she doing, taking this poor girl to meet her parents?"

"That's what I was trying to figure out! I mean, I assumed that it was going to be different, but it was Same Old Shana."

"Maybe she lost a bet, or something."

"Maybe she got her pregnant."

"Was she a good swimmer?" Emily asked after a lull.

"Yeah, she was good. Not in your league, but…"

Emily smiled. "That's not why I was asking, but thanks. It _is_ nice to hear."

"Emily," Paige said, suddenly very serious. She felt like pulling the car off to the side of the road, but she kept driving. "You need to understand what a special talent you have. I know that you swim for fun, but you really have a gift. And the fact that you could come back so strong from that kind of injury is just…"

"Paige…"

"Hey, this isn't the girlfriend talking! This is the former college swimmer talking!:'

"Fine, but could we just stop talking about it?"

Paige looked at Emily, concerned. "Em, we can stop. But are you saying that because you don't like to be the center of attention, or because you it's too much pressure for something that you do for fun."

Emily let out a deep breath. "I don't know, Paige. I just… Can we just – I just want to enjoy the summer. I don't want to talk about swimming for now."

"Of course, Em." Paige smiled and squeezed Emily's thigh. "We won't talk about it. I'm sorry."

"No, you don't have to be. You were saying nice things. I just need a break right now, if that's okay."

Paige nodded. "I know what you mean, Em. This has been a great summer, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. I can't wait to do DC!"

* * *

Emily had picked up some shifts at the Brew during her semester off from school. She decided to splurge and get a nice hotel room in Arlington for their long weekend in DC. Once they saw the room, they agreed that it was worth it. "Trust me," Paige said, "this is nothing like the rooms you're going to be staying in when you travel with Penn State!"

After the drive, they were both in the mood to check out the hotel's hot tub. It was still late afternoon, so they thought that the pool wouldn't be crowded, with most of the tourists still in DC or out at dinner. They found the pool crowded with children, but they had the hot tub to themselves for the most part, their tub time interrupted only occasionally by a parent who needed a break. When their muscles were fully relaxed and the heat started to get too much for them, they headed up to the room to shower before they grabbed dinner one of the hotel's restaurants.

* * *

"So, I just wanted to apologize for before," Emily said as they waited for their entrées, "when we were talking about my swimming."

Paige smiled warmly. "You don't have to apologize." She waited for Emily to elaborate, but saw that nothing more was forthcoming from her. "Do you want to talk about it now?"

"The thing is, Paige, I get that I'm good at swimming, and that I have a gift, or whatever. But does that mean that swimming is what I'm _supposed_ to do? Or what I _have_ to do?"

"Emily, are you having second thoughts about getting back into swimming?"

"No, Paige. No. Well, not really. I just – I;" Emily sighed and thought through how to say what she was feeling. "I'm not sure that I want to be defined as 'Emily the Swimmer,' you know? I don't want it to be my life."

"I'm sorry, Em. I didn't mean to make you feel that way."

"Paige, I'm not talking about you. This isn't because of what we discussed in the car. It's not really about anybody. It's about everybody. Including me. I just don't want this thing that I love to become something that I have to do."

Paige nodded. "I think I see what you mean."

"And, so, now I'm swimming for Penn State. And, yeah, that's exciting, and it will pay my way through college. But, then what? Let's say I get recruited to go pro, or to train for the Olympics. Not that it wouldn't be a great honor, but what if I'm burned out by then? It just feels as if I'm stuck on this freeway and I can't get off. Anyway. That's why I got upset. Or, frustrated. It wasn't your fault."

Paige took Emily's hand. "Emily, you really don't have to do anything that you don't want to. But I hope you don't mind if I give you some advice?"

Emily shook her head. "I would _love_ some advice, Paige."

Paige leaned her head back in thought. "Enjoy it while you're enjoying it." Emily nodded her head with a confused look on her face. "You're enjoying swimming now?" Emily nodded with a half-smile. "So, enjoy it. Don't worry about whether you'll enjoy it next year or five years from now. You'll drive yourself crazy with the 'what ifs.' And you'll miss out on the potential for some great times. Fear is a terrible master, Emily. You can't let it control your life."

Emily laughed softly. "That reminds me of what Hanna said after our first date."

Paige did a double-take. "You and Hanna dated?"

"No," Emily chided, " _Our_ first date," she repeated, pointing between the two of them. "I told her that you would never call me, or that you would never date a freshman. Basically, I was coming up with every excuse not to take a chance."

"And Hanna said?"

"She said that I could protect my heart, but that didn't mean that I shouldn't take risks. I don't know. It just sounded the same in my head."

"Well, I'm glad that you listened to Hanna."

"Not as glad as I am," Emily said, leaning in for a kiss.

"And I hope that you'll listen to me, too?"

"Definitely," Emily said. "Man, this food's taking a long time, isn't it?"

* * *

The next morning, Emily and Paige got the metro into Union Station and began their DC adventure. Paige couldn't stop smiling. The day was beautiful. Her girlfriend was beautiful. She was having an awfully hard time keeping her hands to herself. "What's up with you today?" Emily finally asked. She was used to being the clingy one.

"I'm just glad to be alive! Glad to be in this beautiful city on this beautiful day with my beautiful girlfriend," Paige replied, turning to give Emily a big sloppy kiss, exaggeratedly rocking their bodies back and forth as she held her in a firm embrace.

"O…kay…" Emily said warily. "I love you, too." She was grinning on the inside. She really enjoyed this sappy side of Paige. As they walked along the mall, Paige reached around to cup Emily's far cheek, pulling her close so that she could kiss the other cheek. Emily's face lit up as if she had just won the lottery. All of a sudden, at the sight of Paige's smile, Emily came up with a thousand other things that they could do rather than traipse around the nation's capital. She almost suggested that they head back to the hotel. She knew that it wouldn't take much to convince Paige. But the day was too beautiful, so she held her tongue. She would just let the anticipation build. And she was determined to build up Paige's anticipation as well. She made a point of punctuating their conversation with gentle touches – to Paige's shoulder, her back, her cheek, or, if they were seated, her thigh. She kissed her with the slightest provocation. And she bit her lip in that certain way that had a meaning which Paige had come to understand. Emily was subtle enough that Paige didn't realize what was going on, but clear enough that it left no doubt in Paige's mind that Emily was thinking what Paige was thinking.

After spending the morning and early afternoon museum-hopping through the Smithsonian, they grabbed a late lunch at a hole-in-the-wall Cuban restaurant that Emily's phone led them too. Paige liked the place because it was dark and almost deserted. They sat in a booth in the back, where the wait staff was happy to leave them to themselves after their food came out. By that time, Paige had already slipped her foot out of her sandal and up to the hem of Emily's criminally short cut-offs. When the food arrived, Emily had an excuse to move over to Paige's side of the booth. It made it easier for them to share from each other's plates. It also made it easier for Emily to caress Paige's thigh, to lean in and steal kisses, and to let her head fall to rest of Paige's shoulder.

"Are you sure that you want to go back and do the rest of these museums?" Paige asked. "It's getting a little hot."

"What do you mean? It's starting to cool down, now that we're past the noontime sun."

Paige glared at Emily. "You know exactly what I mean."

Emily sighed. "I know, Paige. But I don't want to waste our tickets to 'DC after Dark.'"

"That doesn't start till 7. That gives us a good four hours to get to the hotel, relax a bit, and catch the tour bus."

"Paige," Emily scolded. "You _know_ that, once we get back to the hotel room and start 'relaxing,'" (Emily made the air quotes), "there's no way that we're going out again tonight."

Paige sighed in frustration. "Okay. Well, you'd better stop nibbling my ear, then," she replied, using both hands to push Emily away from her neck.

Emily leaned back in, smiling mischievously. "Sorry, Paige," she said, kissing at Paige's neck. "You're just too irresistible."

"Emily!" Paige whined.

"What?" Emily asked as her fingers crept up the inside of Paige's thigh.

"It's not fair for you to do this to me when the tour doesn't end till 10:00. It'll be eight hours before I get to touch you, by the time we make it back to Arlington."

"So, what do you want to do?" Emily breathed into Paige's ear, "sneak off into that dirty bathroom over there and fuck me?"

"I'm serious, Em," Paige said, annoyed, as she pulled her body away. "You can't joke around like this."

Emily reached under the table and unbuttoned Paige's jeans. "Do you really think that I'm joking, Paige?"

Paige opened her mouth wide in shock, but she didn't waste much time trying to figure out what was going on in Emily's head. Emily stood up, pulling Paige with her. Paige pulled some cash out of her bag and left it on the table as Emily, smiling sweetly and innocently to the staff, led her into the bathroom and hooked the door closed.

Once Paige heard the hook go into the clasp, she regained her senses. "Seriously, Em – in a public restroom?" There was no getting the devious smile off of Emily's face. Before Paige knew what hit her, her head was thudding against the bathroom door and her lips were being bruised by Emily's, as Emily's hands wandered up her tank top, pushing the cups of her bra out of the way and massaging her breasts. Paige lost track of where they were, what day it was, and what her name was. All that her brain knew, at that moment, was 'Emily; EMILY; **EMILY**."

Paige's hands found Emily's ass, and she pulled Emily into her, as they ground themselves furiously against each other's thighs. Paige escaped from Emily's lips, turned her head to the side, and gasped before Emily moved her hands from Paige's breasts to the side of her face and pulled her back in for more desperate, hungry kisses.

"Emily! Emily!" Paige pleaded, "I'm going to soak through my jeans!"

"I don't care," Emily said, once again capturing Paige's lips. Paige was unable to make another attempt at speech before the steady rhythm of Emily's thigh against her jeans overtook her. She let out a shriek, partially muffled inside Emily's mouth, and collapsed into Emily's arms. Emily reached down and pulled Paige in for another minute or so of grinding before she got the release that she herself so desperately needed. Then, after giving Paige the sweetest, most innocent kiss, she walked over to the sink and splashed some water on her face. She grabbed some paper towels and dabbed at her crotch, handing some to Paige so that she could do the same. Emily sighed once and untied the shirt that she was wearing loose over her tank top, moving it down to her waist and tying the sleeves together, to cover her shorts. She reached into her bag and pulled out a windbreaker for Paige to tie around her own waist.

Once they were somewhat close to presentable, Emily took Paige's hand casually and strode toward the restaurant's front door, thanking the staff. "Everything was perfect," she assured them.

No sooner had the door closed than Paige heard the entire staff break out into laughter. Had it not been for that, she would have had a hard time convincing herself that the bathroom incident had actually happened in real life, not just in her fevered imagination.


	21. The Hotel Room

When the alarm that Paige had set on her phone went off the next morning, they both agreed to ignore it. Their hotel offered free breakfast, but they decided that they were too tired. A couple hours more sleep was well worth whatever they would have to pay, later, for some coffee and a couple of pastries.

It had been a late night.

They had gotten back to the hotel just after 11, and three hours of touring somber memorials and patriotic statues had done nothing to quell the desire that had been stirring within them. By the time they crashed through their door, they were as hot and humid as the Virginia night that they had just left behind them. Paige's mind kept going back to the scene in the bathroom at the Cuban restaurant; the way that Emily had walked out so casually not five minutes after she took Paige like a wild beast. She didn't know what had gotten into her girlfriend. She just wanted to get into her again - and again and again.

There was a fire in Emily's eyes as she backed into the room, her hands behind Paige's neck, her hips swaying to music that was playing only in her head. Paige was swooning under the intensity of Emily's glare. She was torn between the desire to let Emily take control again and the strong urge to rip Emily's clothes off of her, slam her down on the bed, and have her way with her. The answer came from Emily. Emily grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks to force some space between her lips, and shoved her tongue inside. When she broke from the kiss, she breathed into Paige's ear, "What are you waiting for?"

Paige didn't need any further encouragement.

So it was that they lay, exhausted, in bed on a lazy summer morning.

"Paige, we've got to get out of this room sometime today," Emily yawned.

"Says who?"

"Well, they're going to want to clean it -"

Emily was interrupted as Paige began to suck on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Emily's arms flailed wildly at the contact. "Agh! Stop it, Paige! Stop it!" she howled.

"What's wrong with you?" Paige said, laughing at Emily's reaction.

"That tickles!"

"Since when are you ticklish?"

"Since _always_! I just didn't want you to know. I was afraid..." _that you wouldn't like me_ , Emily thought, "that you would use it to torture me!"

"So, you've just been stifling your laughter all this time?"

Emily nodded, embarrassed.

"Wow. I admire your self-control. So, what changed?"

Emily sighed. "I guess that I feel safe, now." She meant that in a different way than Paige understood it.

Still, Paige was genuinely touched. "Aw – Come here," she said, extending her arms and gathering Emily in - only to kiss her on the other shoulder. "Any more tickle spots that I should know about?" she asked, as Emily pushed her away, shrieking out in laughter.

"What about you? Are you ticklish?" Emily started poking at Paige, hoping to find a way to defend herself, the best defense being a strong offense.

Paige hadn't thought it through. She didn't want to start this war. She was beyond ticklish. "No," she replied, but the way that her voice cracked gave her away.

"Uh huh," Emily said, with a devious look. Her fingers set about to find the ticklish spots.

"No!" Paige squealed as she leapt to her feet, bouncing on the bed, using. A pillow to fend off Emily's probing fingers.

"What? I thought that you weren't ticklish!"

"Emily! Think about what you're doing here! We're in a very nice hotel, here!"

Emily's fingers were undeterred. While Paige kept trying to talk her out of it, Emily was doing a mental inventory, trying to figure out what part of Paige's body could be ticklish that Emily hadn't explored. Finally, it hit her. "I'm sorry, Babe," she said, pulling Paige in for a heated kiss. Emily dropped to her knees on the bed, maintaining lip-lock as Paige followed. As Emily's hands began to wander down to Paige's ass, Paige eased them down on the bed, face to face. Emily grabbed Paige's thigh and hiked it up over her stomach. _This is new_ , Paige thought, just as Emily's fingers reached for the soles of her feet, and Paige broke down in convulsions of laughter. "Okay! Okay! Truce! Truce!" she pled frantically.

"Truce," Emily agreed.

"I guess we really should get out of here," Paige conceded. "It's too nice out to be cooped up inside."

"I suppose," Emily said, sitting up on her knees and clasping her hands high above her head in a stretch that made Paige rethink her decision. There was something in the way Emily's toned, tanned arms looked, extended above her head; something in the curve of her bustline underneath her soft t-shirt, something in the definition of her thighs as the shirt rode up with the stretch. Something about the angelic way that Emily smiled underneath her dark, cascading hair. Paige leapt from the bed before what little resolve she had left her. "Shower… I need a shower!" she declared.

"Wait, come here," Emily whined, beckoning with her hand. Paige padded over as if magnetically attracted, and Emily grabbed her behind the head for a slow, sensual kiss.

"What was that for?" Paige smiled as Emily released her.

"For making me feel safe and loved, when you look at me like that." She stood up and put her hands on Paige's shoulders to spin her around, tapping her on the bottom to urge her to the shower. "You'd better go before we end up spending the day in bed!"

"One more kiss?" Paige begged.

"Of course!"

* * *

Emily and Paige decided to explore the area around their hotel on foot before they headed into DC. Their first stop was at a pastry shop, for coffee and a light breakfast. They discussed Emily's upcoming semester at Penn State. Emily had a lot of questions for Paige about the Lit department, the classes that she should take, and any professors whom she should avoid.

"What should we do about our cars?" Emily asked.

"That's a good question. I hadn't thought of that."

"Well, I mean, we don't really need two cars in Rosewood, you know? But I don't know whether it will be different when we're there, and our schedules are less in sync."

"But we won't be living in the same house in State College."

Emily deflated a little. "Ugh. Don't remind me."

"Sorry," Paige said softly.

"Maybe just leave one car in Rosewood, and, if it turns out to be too much of a hassle with one car, we can drive back one weekend and pick it up."

"Or take both cars, and, if we find we don't need them, drive back to Rosewood and drop one off," Paige offered.

"Yeah, that might be the safer plan," Emily agreed.

"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

"Wait, what?"

"Nothing," Paige smiled. "Just something my Dad always says."

Emily looked puzzled as she tried to parse the sentence. Paige changed the subject. "So, are you excited?" She asked, getting excited herself.

"Yeah," Emily sighed. Paige squeezed her hands, picking up from Emily's tone that there was more to the story. "I mean, it's exciting to be starting at a new school, and a new set of challenges. I just wish that we were doing it together." Paige nodded, about to say something, but Emily cut her off. "And, I know that you're going to be there with me, and you're going to come to practices and meets, but I don't want to live with some other girl, you know? I don't want to spend the next four years waking up in a room with my roommates."

Paige smiled sadly.

"I just wish that I were doing this five years ago, when you were starting Penn State."

Paige took a deep breath. "Yeah, that would've been great, Em." Paige paused for a moment. "But – and don't take this the wrong way, but… How do I put this? I have to think that Fate brought us together at the right time, you know? I mean, it's harder in some ways, but I'm not sure that I was ready for you when I was a freshman."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I told you how I was back then. I did some things that I regretted, some things that I wasn't ready for. You might not have wanted anything to do with that Paige. And I might have rushed us into something that we weren't ready for and ruined our chance for anything meaningful, you know?"

"I guess," Emily said with a sigh. "Anyway, we're together now."

Paige moved her chair to Emily's side of the table so that she could put her arm around her. "It won't be so bad, Em. It's not as though I'm going to be on the other side of the country. You can always stop by and sleep over, if Coach doesn't have you on curfew." Emily tried to smile. "And you'll probably like your roommate. Give her a chance."

Emily rolled her entire head in disbelief. "Of course, Paige!"

Paige gave Emily's shoulder a squeeze. "Are you ready to hit the Metro?" She always said "Metro" with a bad British accent, for some inexplicable reason.

"I guess," Emily sighed. "I'm kind of enjoying just hanging out with you and having a chance to talk." Paige agreed, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "That's what's going to suck about Penn State," Emily added. "I'm not going to come home to this."

Paige gave her another squeeze and kiss. "I'll be okay," Emily assured her. "Lots of couples do long distance. We can handle this."

"We'll make the best of it," Paige assured her.

Emily determined not to be a downer on their last day in DC, focusing instead on being in the moment and enjoying her time with her girlfriend. They both agreed, though, that they didn't want to be out late. It wasn't that they wanted to get a good night sleep before they drove back to Rosewood. They just wanted to spend some alone-time together. It was nothing that they couldn't do back in Rosewood, but, after that morning's talk, they were more interested in just being together than in doing stuff together.

The evening found them cuddled up on the couch in the room with the TV. The TV was on, but they weren't really paying attention. They weren't making out or even kissing. They were just holding and being held, enjoying the fact that they were together.

"So, at what time do you want to leave tomorrow?" Paige asked.

Emily just shrugged, nestling further into Paige.

"I wish that we could just stay here."

Emily nodded sleepily.

"Come on, Em. Let's get you to bed."

"You think it's so easy to get me to bed?" Emily was trying to sound flirty, but it came out as a yawn.

"I think someone's going to be sleeping in the car tomorrow!"

"Mmmmm," Emily said, peppering Paige's cheek with kisses. "You're good to me. You'll let me sleep in the car?"

"I'll let you sleep in the car," Paige confirmed, enjoying each kiss that landed on her cheek. "And," she added, standing up, "I'll even carry you to bed."

"That's why you're the best girlfriend in the whole wide world," Emily extended her arms, and, when Paige leaned down, she wrapped them around her neck. Paige grabbed Emily under her back and her knees and kissed her as she carried her into the bedroom and placed her gently in the bed.

Paige went in to brush her teeth and put her hair up. She got out of the bathroom to find Emily sitting with her left leg stretched out, hugging her right leg, which was bent at the knee. Her head was leaning on her shoulder, and Paige couldn't read the expression. "Are you okay?" Paige asked.

Emily nodded. "I just want you to make love to me tonight." Paige broke into a smile. Emily hopped off of the bed and gave Paige a quick kiss as she passed her on her way to the bathroom, promising to be right back.

Paige was getting nervous as she waited for Emily to return from the bathroom. It wasn't that Emily was taking a long time. It wasn't that this was their first time making love. It wasn't even their first time that day. Emily just seemed to be in an emotionally fragile place, based on their conversation earlier that morning and on the way that they both clung to each other on the couch earlier. Paige didn't want her lust to take over and trample on the tender time of connecting that she could tell that Emily was craving. She knew that Emily wanted her to take the lead; that she needed to be made love _to_ , not _with_ on that occasion. Emily had told her that Paige made her feel safe. Paige was going to keep her safe.

Emily walked into the bedroom and flicked her hair in place. She smiled weakly at Paige. Paige walked over to her and engulfed her in her arms, rubbing her hands chastely up and down Emily's back. Emily melted into the embrace, lightly squeezing Paige's triceps and planting gentle kisses on Paige's shoulders. It was just what she needed right then: To be held in her girlfriend's loving, powerful arms. Paige was in no hurry to let go. She held her in place until Emily moved her hands up to Paige's face, kissed her lips once, and told her by the look in her eyes that she was ready.

Paige took her cues from Emily's eyes the rest of the evening. When Emily's eyes asked Paige to hold her tighter, she held her tighter. When they asked Paige to slow down, she slowed down. When they asked her not to stop, she persisted.

The last thing that Emily's eyes told Paige before they closed in sleep was "Thank you."


	22. The Roommate

Pam and Emily drove out to Penn State together. Wayne followed in the overflow car, with the things that didn't fit in her car. Paige was going to head up later in her own car. She and Emily came to the conclusion that, since they weren't going to be living together, they would need two cars.

Paige wanted to give Emily and her parents the full college experience. She thought that Pam and Wayne should be the ones with Emily for the move-in and the parent-student events on campus.

Emily used the first box of her belongings to nudge open the door to her room. "Hello?" she called out tentatively.

Her roommate stiffened up as if she had just been caught in the middle of a burglary. She looked at Emily with a mixture of awe and fear. "You're Emily Fields," she said at last, instead of "Hello."

"Yes, and you're Sydney Driscoll."

Sydney didn't smile or offer a hand or even move closer to Emily. She stood there staring, making Emily uncomfortable. "What did I do?" Emily asked, finally setting the box down on the bed that Sydney hadn't claimed.

"Oh, sorry. It's just… You're _Emily Fields…_ " Emily stared at her, confused. "No, it's just. Well, I studied you," Sydney said, looking away from her roommate, who was now even more confused.

Sydney had attended a science-themed charter school and had interned with a sports therapist. That was the career that she had in mind, once her swimming days were over. As part of her final project, she researched swimmers' injuries and rehabilitation, and Emily's phenomenal recovery featured prominently. "You're kind of legend," Sydney said breathlessly.

"O-kay," Emily said, not knowing quite what to make of things.

"Sorry. I don't mean to freak you out. I've just – I've seen you swim. I've watched hours of tape, before and after the accident, and, well…" She paused. "Listen. I'm in _way_ over my head, here. So, I was just so excited when I found out that you were going to be my roommate. It's like fate. I mean, I know that we've just met, and it's way too early, but… I mean – can; _would_ you be able to help me with my stroke?"

There was a tap on the door, and Pam Fields pushed her way in with a small box. _Oh, thank God,_ Emily thought. "Hold that thought," she said to Sydney as she went over to help her mother.

Pam sat down on the bed and let out a breath. "Woo!" she exclaimed as she fanned herself with her hand. "Hey, what's this?"

"Oh, that? That was under the door when I got here," Sydney explained. Looking at Emily, she added, "I assumed that it was for you."

Emily walked over to take the small object from her mother's hand, smiling in anticipation. It was a notecard with a gold medal as the watermark in the background, with the words, "Welcome to Penn State" in the center, the pawprint logo in the left corner, and a block "H" for Hollis in the right. It was attached to a cellophane-wrapped oatmeal raisin cookie.

* * *

"So, basically, I'm her idol," Emily told Paige the next day at Paige's apartment, where Paige was settling in. Pam and Wayne were already on their way back to Rosewood. It was still Freshman Orientation week, and Emily didn't have a lot to keep her occupied before the swim team's mandatory freshman meeting later in the week. She and Paige were taking a break for dinner.

"She like knows all about my stroke, and she gushes over me. It's kind of embarrassing." Emily was smiling, but her smile faded when she looked up and caught the expression on Paige's face. Paige hadn't said a word since Emily began talking about the Sydney situation. "Her _boyfriend_ goes here, too," Emily said, thinking maybe that was the problem.

Paige just kept pushing a fork through her salad with an unimpressed expression.

"Paige, what's the matter?" Emily asked softly, reaching for Paige's hand. There was a hint of worry in her voice. Paige leaned back into her chair and let out a deep breath. "You don't have to worry about my roommate," Emily said, still using a soft voice, almost embarrassed to suggest that jealousy could be the issue. She stroked her thumb across the back of Paige's hand looking intently into her eyes, trying to pull her out of it.

"Emily," Paige began, setting down her fork. Emily had learned that, when Paige was emotional, she would let one word hang while, in her mind, she worked through what she wanted to say. The best thing to do was to give her a moment to collect her thoughts. "Emily," she repeated, "I'm trying to be an adult about this, but I guess I really didn't think this through."

"You're jealous?" Emily tried her best to laugh it off, but it was a laugh tinged with worry.

Paige took a deep breath and threw her hands in the air. "Yes, Emily." Paige was taking long, agonizing pauses between her sentences. "I'm incredibly jealous." Paige had more to say, and waiting for her to spit it out was driving Emily crazy. "And not because I think that Sydney has a thing for you, or that you would ever cheat on me. But how can I not be jealous of Sydney when _she_ gets to see you first thing in the morning, when you wake up? And _she_ gets to give you a hug when you've had a bad day? And _she_ gets to laugh with you when you have something to celebrate?"

"Paige!" Emily drew out the name, pleading.

"I know, Emily. I know that couples do it all the time. And I know that this is what I wanted for you – still want for you. I just didn't know that it was going to be this hard."

"I'm _sorry_ , Paige!" Emily was trying her best not to cry.

"Hey, Emily." Paige got up and gave Emily a hug. "You didn't do anything. It's just me. I need to get over this."

"It's hard for me, too," Emily sobbed.

"I know that it is, Em. And I don't mean to make it harder on you. I really don't want to ruin your college experience. I should've just kept my mouth shut…"

"No, Paige," Emily interrupted.

"No, it really wasn't fair. I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting to feel like this. And you _should_ be excited about Sydney, and you should be able to talk to me about her. I'm just being stupid."

"It's not stupid, Paige. I don't even know why I'm staying in the dorms."

"Oh, God. Please don't say that, Emily. Listen, this should be the best time of your life. I need to get over myself. You should enjoy living with the team. I really want you to have that experience."

"Paige, I can talk to Coach. I'm sure that I can cancel my housing and move in with you."

Paige actually thought it over before she came to her senses. "Emily, I really think that you should get a chance to enjoy dorm life."

"But I don't want that, Paige. I want _you_. God, I really wish that everybody would stop telling me what I should want."

"Okay, I'm sorry, Emily. But, it's just that you seemed really happy about things before I had my little hissy fit."

Emily shrugged. "I guess. But that doesn't mean that I don't miss you."

"Of course it doesn't. And I miss you, too, Em. But maybe wait a bit before you talk to coach? And, plus, think about it: What's Sydney going to think if you suddenly move out after she told you how much she idolizes you?"

Emily huffed. She knew that Paige was right. "I could just tell her that my psycho possessive jealous girlfriend felt threatened and made me move out."

Paige deflated a little. She knew that Emily was joking, but there had to be something behind the joke. It was pretty specific.

"I'm sorry, Paige. That was stupid. I really don't see you that way. I wouldn't have joked like that if I did." Emily latched on to Paige's hands with a look of contrition.

Paige nodded. "Listen. We're going to adjust. And we're going to have a blast this year, okay?"

Emily nodded. She rested her head on Paige's shoulder and let Paige rub her back. "And, Paige, just so you know? When I have a bad day, I'm not going back to my room. I'm coming straight here for that hug."

Paige smiled weakly. "Well, I guess that it's a good thing that I got you this, then," she said, handing Emily a key to the apartment.

* * *

Paige sat in on the first freshman practice during orientation week. Coach had offered her an internship - unpaid, but good experience. Were it not for her workload, Paige would have said yes without hesitation. She told Coach that she would keep it in mind for the following year, when she had completed her coursework. It would be a good way to stay connected with Emily.

Watching the team swim, it was hard for Paige to sit still. Her old captain's instincts were still with her. She wanted to give advice, to step in and correct the young swimmers' turns, to refine their strokes. She would have to rethink coach's offer. Perhaps she could make it work with her schedule.

* * *

"Your girlfriend's even hotter in real life," Sydney told Emily as they got changed.

_Oh, Sydney. You have no idea._ "You didn't meet her at the recruiting weekend last Spring?"

"I actually didn't make it that weekend. I was pretty sure that I was going to go to Pitt at the time."

"What changed your mind?"

"Vince got a better offer here," Sydney said with a slight pout. "Penn State was actually my first choice. Don't ever tell Vince, though!"

Emily smiled and shook her head.

"I would love to meet her, though."

"Come to dinner with us? We're just going to the caf, but..."

"I'd like that. If you're sure that Paige would be okay with me crashing?"

Emily nodded, squeezing Sydney's arm.

Paige greeted Emily with a kiss when she came out of the locker room. "Hungry?"

"I'm starving!" Emily replied. "Paige, this is my roommate, Sydney Driscoll."

Paige extended her hand, but Sydney leaned in for a hug. "It's nice to meet you. Actually, I feel as if I know you. Your girlfriend talks about you all the time."

"Sydney's going to come with us," Emily explained. Paige gave Sydney a slight smile and took Emily's hand.

Dinner was actually pleasant. Sydney was good company, once she got beyond her hero worship of Emily.

"So, how did we look?" Sydney asked, once they settled in at their table.

"Pretty raw and undeveloped, but nothing some good coaching can't address," Paige smiled. "The team should be in good shape this year."

"Did you give any more thought to that internship?" Emily asked.

Paige sighed. "Yeah... I don't know, Emily. I mean, it's hard to think how I could juggle that with my studies and teaching, but... When I was out there watching you guys, I really felt like jumping in. I guess it's still in my blood"

"I guess that's why Coach invited you to practice." Turning to Sydney, Emily explained the internship that Paige had been offered.

"Too bad it's not a paid internship," Emily opined. "Maybe you could drop your teaching."

"Yeah, too bad. But I'd really miss teaching, too, so."

"When do you have to let him know?"

"I told him that I might consider it next year, when I'm just doing research and teaching." Paige smiled. "That means I'd be around you all the time - riding the team bus, hanging out at all of the practices. Think you could handle that, Fields?"

Emily wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist, settling in underneath Paige's arm. "I would love that, Paige."

"Aw, look at the two of you!" Sydney gushed. Paige gave an embarrassed laugh and loosened her hold around Emily's shoulder. Emily didn't move.

* * *

As Emily lay wrapped around Paige on the couch back at Paige's apartment, she kept opening her mouth to say something and chickening out. Paige couldn't see this from her perspective, with her chin on the top of Emily's head as she ran her fingers through Emily's hair.

Finally, Emily twisted her body around and looked up at Paige. "Can I ask you something, Paige?"

"Of course!" Paige moved her hand from Emily's hair and smoothed it in circles across her back instead.

"Okay. This is really selfish, but, do you think that you could try to make the internship work? I mean, I know that it's more work, but I'd get to see you. I don't know. I'm just afraid that I'll never get to see you during swim season."

Paige sat up on the couch, so Emily did, too. Emily put her hand on Paige's knee. Paige picked up Emily's hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I want to," she said with a deep breath. "I really do, Emily."

Emily laid her head on Paige's chest. "I know, Paige. I just had to ask."

Paige tilted her head back in thought. "Maybe..."

"Don't, Paige," Emily said patiently.

"Don't what?"

"Don't do that thing where you change your whole life around just for me. I understand. We both wish that you could take the internship, but we'll have to wait a year."

"I know, but I was just thinking -"

"Can't you think about yourself once, though? You're always telling me to think about myself, and you're always thinking about me. I just feel so guilty."

"I'm sorry, Em. You know the reason I say that is that I've already had my shot. Now, it's your turn in the spotlight."

"Oh, Paige. You're not my mom," Emily said with a kiss. "I mean, you're _old_ , but you're not my mom!"

"I know that I'm not your mom, Emily. I'm nowhere near that short!" Emily swatted Paige on the shoulder. "Seriously, Em. I'm not just thinking of you. This is an opportunity that I want for myself - and for you. And for us. So, I'm glad that you let me know how you feel. That's all part of the decision. And it's a valid point - it would be great to be able to be together during the season. It would be tough, too. Tough on me, because I'd have to stay neutral when it came to you, and tough on you because you'd be seeing a different side of me. Anyway. I haven't completely closed that door just yet."

Emily lay down again, putting her head in Paige's lap. "Can I stay here tonight?" she asked sleepily.

"Of course you can, Em. As far as I'm concerned, this is your place, too." Emily smiled at that and leaned deeper into Paige. "Are you going to try to get me to change my vote?"

"Maybe."


	23. The Dancer

Emily had a spring in her step on her way up to Paige's apartment. She was too keyed up to wait for the elevator. She bounded up the steps two at a time.

When she finally made it to the door, she let herself in and called out for Paige. She could tell by the smell from of cooking that Paige was in the kitchen.

Paige pushed a dish into the oven and shut the door. She wiped her hands on a towel and went over to give Emily a quick kiss. The smile on Emily's face was contagious. Paige couldn't tell whether it was devious or flirtatious. "You're peppy!" she observed. "Good practice?"

"Yeah," Emily sighed, still smiling uncontrollably. "Pretty good!"

"Okay, what's going on?" Paige asked, smiling skeptically.

Emily shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just feeling good!"

"Come on, Em. What happened?"

"Nothing!" Emily tilted her head coyly. "But I stopped by the store on the way home and picked up a treat for you."

"Did you?" Paige smiled in anticipation. Emily pulled a bag of Skittles out of her purse, and Paige gasped. "Who told you?" she asked in shock.

"Told me what?" Emily was prolonging the torture.

When she was a freshman, Paige got a birthday card from one of her friends at home. It came addressed to "Skit McCullers." Her roommate asked what it was about, but Paige refused to give anything away. Her roommate told the swim team, and, pretty soon, when they were playing Truth or Dare at a party, someone asked what "Skit" was all about.

It went back to Paige's childhood, when she loved Skittles. She really loved skittles. She used to do a dance, which was later to become known as the Skittles Dance, to celebrate or to beg for Skittles. The nickname "Skittles," later shortened to "Skit," or, sometimes, "SD," ("Skittles Dance" or "Skittles Dancer," no one was quite sure) stuck with her long after the dance itself had been retired.

From then on, Paige was forced to choose "truth" whenever she was unable to weasel out of playing Truth or Dare with the team, knowing that her dare would be show them the dance.

"But, you'll do it for me, right?" Emily said seductively, so close to Paige that their lips brushed when she breathed out the words. Her hands were roaming over the back of Paige's jeans as she tried to persuade her, but Paige was steadfast. Emily followed up with a tender kiss and a pout. "Please?" she asked with puppy-dog eyes.

Paige closed her eyes and shook her head. "Nope. Emily, no one has seen that dance in more than a decade. I love you with all my heart and soul, but it's not happening."

Emily backed away from Paige, her hands still on her girlfriend's waist. "Paige," she said seriously. "We both _know_ that you're going to do that dance for me, so you may as well just get it over with."

"Oh, God!" Paige looked up to the sky. "Why didn't I insist that you go to Stanford?"

Emily, seeing that she was going to get what she wanted, clapped her hands together and squealed with delight as she took a seat on the bar stool to observe. Paige plastered a fake smile on her face and started into the Skittles Dance, lifting one leg and then, wriggling it below the knee, as she balled her hands into fists and splayed her fingers over and over. She wiggled her hips as she turned around on one leg, dipping her shoulders from side to side. When she had made a complete rotation, she jumped into the air and landed with her legs spread wide. "And that's the part where I used to land in a split, but that's probably not the best idea anymore."

Emily jumped off of the stool and grabbed Paige tight, peppering her face with kisses. It wasn't just the cuteness of the dance that spurred her reaction. That was only a small part of it. Mainly, it was the fact that Paige trusted her and loved her enough to share something with her that she would never share with anyone else.

"And this is the part where you're supposed to give me Skittles," Paige deadpanned while Emily continued her assault of kisses.

"Paige," Emily said between kisses, "I can't believe that you would share that with me. Thank you so much!"

Paige took a step back, holding Emily by her biceps. "This never leaves this room, Emily!"

"Of course not," Emily said, surprised that Paige would even think that she had to say so. She leaned in again, this time giving Paige a single, very intense kiss. "Besides," she said, "I like having something that's just between the two of us."

* * *

Emily stowed her bag, washed up, and set the table for dinner. It was Friday night, and she was staying over with Paige. After dinner, they settled in on the couch to watch a movie, and the Skittles Dance was all but forgotten until Emily spoke.

"Paige?" Emily's legs were curled up under her as she leaned into Paige's chest with Paige's arm around her shoulders and Paige's cheek resting on top of Emily's head. Paige pressed a kiss into her hair, and Emily tilted her head, looking up shyly at her. "I can show you some better dance moves."

Paige laughed. "It would be hard to imagine any _worse_ dance moves!"

"No, really. I can dance. Do you want to see?"

Paige sat up in attention. There wasn't a word in the English language that could express how strong was her desire to see Emily dance.

Emily stood up, putting her hand on Paige's shoulder. "Wait right here," she said as she trotted out of the room, returning moments later having exchanged her sweats for a pair of black jogging shorts and a black tank. She moved the coffee table out of the way and smiled nervously at Paige before she turned her back to her. She tapped her phone, and a slow beat began playing. Emily bent her left leg, angling her left hip upwards, and reached her left arm over her head, grabbing her right arm, which was extended straight in the air.

Paige was sold. This was already so much better than the Skittles dance.

When Beyoncé began singing out the lyrics to "Dance for You," Emily swiveled her hips as she turned around to face Paige, with a look of pure sex on her face, from her pouty lips to her darkened eyes. Her movements were cat-like, and Paige couldn't figure out where to look. She wanted to have it on tape, so that she could catch every movement, every nuance, everything that was assaulting her senses all at once, slowed down and broken down into digestible fragments.

Emily's hips were gyrating through a full 360 degrees as her hands ghosted over her waist, through her hair, and up and down her sides. Paige's plans for the evening suddenly changed. She didn't want to chill with Emily. She just wanted Emily. All of her. All night.

Paige didn't want the dance to end, and, at the same time, she couldn't wait for it to be over, so that she could take Emily. Emily couldn't help notice the slow burn that was overtaking her girlfriend, and the reaction was getting her turned on as well. Her movements became a little sloppy; a little unfocused. There were some unrehearsed movements of her hand over her crotch, which didn't detract from Paige's experience in the least. In the end, she changed up the dance, sidling over towards the couch and extending her hands to Paige. Paige grabbed Emily's hands and stood up. Emily was still dancing as she held Paige's hands, but, instead of trying to dance with her, Paige put her arms around Emily and kissed her, hard, bending her over backwards under the force of her desire. Emily grabbed fistfuls of Paige's hair as she jammed her tongue down Paige's throat.

Emily moaned as Paige switched the attention from her lips to her throat. As Paige's moist kisses landed against her neck, Emily was able to utter one word, "Bedroom." They made a desperate retreat in that direction.

And Beyoncé kept right on singing, long after her audience had left the room.

* * *

Emily was tenderly stirred awake by the gently stroking of Paige's hand through her hair. A smile broke out on her face before she opened her eyes, knowing that Paige's goofy smile was there waiting to greet her. "Good Morning," Emily smiled, and Paige's lips were on hers immediately.

"You are full of surprises aren't you?" Paige asked, her smile stretched wide.

Emily shyly hid her face behind her hands for a second before she explained her actions to Paige. "I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Paige was still smiling.

"For trusting me. I know that you wouldn't have shared that with anyone else."

"You're right!" Paige took a breath and began stroking Emily's dark, thick hair again. "Emily, do you remember when I told you that I wanted to give all of myself to you?" Emily nodded. "Well, I meant it. I don't want to withhold any part of who I am from you. Not even the embarrassing stuff. Not even the Skittles Dance."

Emily reached her hand to Paige's cheek. "I know that you meant it, Paige. I never doubted it. Still, it's just amazing to see it when it happens."

"I love you, Emily. With all that I am."

"I love you, too, Paige." Emily pressed their lips together. "Thank you."

* * *

"We should do this every Saturday," Emily said, after they handed the server their menus and sat waiting for their food."

"Yeah," Paige nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, "but it's going to be harder once practice starts up. You're going to be spending a lot of Saturday mornings in the pool."

"Maybe you could come swim with me. Like back in Rosewood."

Paige smiled. "I wouldn't mind that!" She fiddled with her coffee cup, turning it as she passed the handle from one hand to another, watching as the liquid sloshed up and down with each rotation.

Emily put her hands on Paige's to stop her. "What's going on?"

Paige smiled weakly. "Coach called me in yesterday." Emily nodded. "They were able to scrounge up a little bit of budget."

"Wow. They must really want you!"

"No, it's not like that. Well, I guess it is. Anyway, it's not a ton of money. It's not even as much as I would get if I kept my teaching fellowship, but I could probably scrape by. Like, I could take a lot of my meals with the team, so that would save me some money."

"I'm guessing that it's not the financial part of it that's concerning you."

Paige let out a huge sigh. "Obviously, it's a great opportunity, and all things being equal, I'd be all over it."

"But you don't want to give up teaching?"

"Yeah, there's that, for sure. But I don't think that I would have a hard time getting back into teaching next year, when I'm not taking classes and I have more free time. But I see where this has the potential to be an all-consuming job, do you know what I mean?" Emily shook her head. "Well, if I really dive into it, I might not have the desire or the time to get back into teaching. Or even to finish my PhD. I might want to go into coaching full-time, and put everything else on the back-burner."

"Is that a bad thing, though, Paige?" Emily leaned back as their server placed their food in front of them. "I mean, you went to Hollis with one set of goals, and you ended up coming back here."

"It's just a big decision. I don't know that I'm ready to decide whether or not to pack up my plans to teach and to finish my degree."

Emily shrugged. "You don't have to decide that now. If you decide to take the internship, maybe you'll realize that you don't want to give up teaching. Or maybe you'll find that teaching doesn't move you the way that coaching does."

Paige nodded her had. "That's a good point."

"What else is on your mind?"

"Well, there's us, obviously."

"Paige, I'm behind you whatever decision you make. You know that."

"I know, Emily. But, if I take this internship…" Paige sighed. "It could make things rough."

"I know that, Paige. I've thought about this, too."

"I know that it sounds good that we would spend more time together, but I can't be your girlfriend while I'm on the clock. And I can't be the person you run home to and complain about what a hardass McCullers was being a practice today."

Emily nodded. She knew that it would be hard in that sense, but she knew that they could handle it. "Well, if you're asking what I want you to do, I want you to say yes. I know that it's going to be different between us when you're interning, but I want you to be with me for this part of my life. And, more than that, I want you to do what _you_ want. And I think that you really want this."

Paige gave it some thought. "Yeah, I guess do."

"But, Paige…"

"What?" Paige asked, when Emily didn't finish.

"You're not going to… you're still going to stay here with me at Penn State, right?"

"Of course, Em! Why wouldn't I?"

"I know that, Paige. I'm just thinking – what if they don't have budget to take you on full-time, and you get an offer somewhere else?"

"I'll figure that out – _we'll_ figure that out if we have to, Em. Maybe we'll decide that Penn State isn't right for us anymore, I don't know. But we'll decide together, okay? "

"Okay," Emily smiled.

"Because, wherever you are, that's where I want to be."

"Same," Emily confirmed, leaning over to give Paige a kiss.


	24. The Meet

In the end, Paige decided to take the internship. There were too many positives for her to pass up the opportunity. She also felt a sense of obligation, since Coach Murphy had gone out of his way too make it possible for her to join the team.

The coincidence wasn't lost on her: Just as she had stepped in at Hollis, when Andrew Bolton pulled out of teaching at the last minute, so someone would have to step in to take her place, since she was pulling out at the last minute. She doubted that anyone would be disappointed that she wasn't teaching the class, the way that Andrew's departure left Hanna and Emily disappointed, but the romantic in her liked to think that this new twist of fate would serve to bring some other couple together.

Ordinarily, Paige, in her first year coaching, would have concentrated primarily on the freshmen, but things were a bit tricky, because Emily was swimming as a freshman. Paige discussed the implications with Emily, telling her not to expect that the two of them would be working together.

Coach had met with the team individually before he offered the position to Paige. The upperclassmen, who had been on the squad when Paige was still an undergrad, were enthusiastically behind the idea. A couple of the underclass swimmers had some questions, but no one objected to bringing Paige aboard or to having her work with the freshmen.

Paige and Emily were both pleasantly surprised when, during Coach's introduction of his staff, he introduced Paige as the intern assistant who would be working with the freshmen as well as overseeing the team's travel arrangements. No one - not even Emily - was happier to hear that than Sydney. Emily had her reservations, after Paige had discussed with her at some length how she would have to avoid any perception of impropriety or favoritism. She didn't want Paige to be there and not be able to give her a hug at the end of a difficult practice. She had only briefly known Paige as her teacher, and that was before they were together. She was unsure how it would feel to have Paige the Girlfriend as Paige the Coach.

There was little danger of conflict of interest. As the junior and senior swimmers knew from experience, when it came down to swimming, Paige was all business. And she was no longer flustered at the sight of Emily's legs. It wasn't that she had grown used to them, or that they no longer turned her on. It was just the fact that they were no longer "forbidden fruit;" she no longer had to look and wonder. The dream had become reality.

But there was definitely an impact on Paige and Emily's after-practice evenings together. Emily did her best to impress her girlfriend/coach during practice, and Paige was very impressed, indeed. Sydney saw little of Emily in her room in the early days.

Paige took a special interest in Sydney. She saw something in her right away. She was a diamond in the rough, but a diamond nonetheless. She convinced Emily and a couple of the sophomores on the team to move some things around on their weekend schedules so that they could all get some work together.

It didn't take long for Paige's investment in Sydney to pay off. Coach was impressed by Paige's ability not only to discern Sydney's raw talent but to draw it out and enhance it. Paige's star on the coaching staff was rapidly on the rise. Emily couldn't have been prouder.

The feeling was mutual. Paige was immensely proud of Emily, a rising star in her own right. "Paily," as they became known, were becoming one of Penn State Swimming's power couples.

It wasn't long before sports agents began attending Penn State's meets and submitting requests to attend some practices, convinced that Emily would be able to turn pro after her sophomore year. It wasn't long before Coach arranged to meet with Emily and Paige, a Emily's coach, to discuss Emily's potential and her intentions.

* * *

"It's a tremendous opportunity, Em," Paige advised, when it was just the two of them discussing it. "And you could still finish your degree at Penn State, although it would be a very different experience."

Emily sighed. She was overwhelmed. "What would you do?"

Paige shrugged. "Honestly, Emily, I don't know. I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything. Then again, I was never offered that kind of opportunity. But, that's just how _I_ feel about it. How are you enjoying your undergrad experience?"

"Well, it's great, but I don't know if it's so much the school as it is you, the rest of the team, and the friends that I've made in classes or at parties."

"Yeah – that's just it, Em. That's what your college experience _is_ – the people whom you're meeting and the things that you're experiencing. Sure, you can get an education on-line, and sure, you'll have friends wherever you go, but college is pretty much once-in-a-lifetime."

Emily nodded, processing all of the information.

"And, maybe two years of that is enough, you know?"

Emily nodded again, with a sigh. "Yeah, maybe. Ugh. It feels as if I'm being pulled in two different directions."

"Well, just put it on the back-burner for now. Let it marinate. You've got a long time to make this decision. Talk to your parents, talk to the coaches, maybe talk to other people who've gone pro. But don't worry. This isn't something that you have to be sure about tomorrow. And you don't have to make a decision until you're sure."

* * *

"This weekend is going to suck."

Paige cupped Emily's cheek and gave her a tender kiss. "It won't be so bad," she assured her.

Emily gave her a look that was half skeptical and half annoyed. And half deflated. (Yes, it was more than just one look. It was a look and a half.)

The team's first away meet was coming up. There would be a two-and-a-half hour bus ride, where Paige would have to sit with the coaches and Emily would sit with the freshmen. There would be a night in a hotel, with Paige rooming with the coaches, and Emily rooming with the freshmen. There would be meals together, but Paige, as the travel manager, would probably have her hands too full to devote much time to her girlfriend.

There would be no sneaking around. Coach had called them both in to make that point undeniably clear. He wasn't threatening or suspicious. He was just very firm.

And Emily knew how Paige got during practices. She could extrapolate what Paige would be like during competitions. All business. She was a good motivator and a great coach, but she wasn't as nurturing as she was when she was being a friend - much less, when she was being a _girlfriend_ \- instead of a coach.

Emily wrapped herself around Paige as they sat on the couch in the lobby of Emily's dorm. She wanted to savor Paige's presence, the way that a condemned prisoner savors his last meal.

Emily sat next to Sydney on the bus. Sydney was working on homework. Paige was way up at the front of the bus, not even in Emily's sightline. Emily had her earbuds in and was listening to her depression mix. She wasn't depressed, but it helped motivate her for the pool, for reasons she could never explain - especially not to Paige. She texted Paige a screencap to let her know what she was listening to. Paige texted back a heart and "Em - ILY." Paige loved the fact that her girlfriend's name ended with "ILY."

The team met for dinner after they got checked in at the hotel. As Emily predicted, Paige was running around like crazy. As Emily worked her way through the line, she felt Paige's hand on her shoulder. "Save me a seat," she said into her ear as she hustled past.

At dinner, at least, she was able to sit next to Paige. Paige was all smiles and jokes, trying to loosen up her freshmen so that they didn't choke during the meet. Even though Paige wasn't - and Emily knew that she couldn't be - as touchy as she ordinarily was, she was genuinely warm, and Emily felt connected.

It wasn't the best situation, but it wasn't bad.

Emily was surprised when Paige walked her to her room and gave her a kiss good night. "You're going to do fine, Champ," she assured her.

They could still be girlfriends. It wasn't as if they were dating on the sly. They just couldn't engage in any behavior that would make parents and donors question the safety and welfare of their teammates.

* * *

Emily was tight for her first race, the following morning. She was late off of the blocks and never got her rhythm back. Coach McCullers pulled her aside, her clipboard in hand, and gave her a hug. "You're better than that race," she whispered. "So, you just need to put it behind you. Don't let it drag you down the rest of the meet, okay?" She tightened her hug on Emily's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Coach." Emily said meekly.

"You're allowed one," Paige joked, cupping Emily's face.

Emily nodded.

"You okay?" Paige asked, looking intently into Emily's eyes.

"I'm okay, Coach."

The exchange was no different than Paige would have had with any other swimmer. Of course, Emily had seen Paige hug other swimmers during practices. It was reassuring to Emily, though, to see that Paige didn't feel the need to overcompensate; to see that Paige could treat Emily just like the other swimmers and that she didn't have to avoid normal physical contact for fear that it would be taken the wrong way. On the other hand, Paige wasn't any tougher on Emily than she was with the rest of the freshmen swimmers, even though she had a stronger relationship with Emily and didn't have to pull her punches with her. As she did with everyone else, Paige gave a push when Emily needed to be pushed, and a hug when Emily needed to be hugged.

The realization that they could still be close during their meets did more than anything that Paige said to help Emily relax. She could concentrate on her swimming, knowing that their relationship was on good footing.

By the time Emily's relay came up, she showed everyone why she would soon be under consideration for anchor.

* * *

"You had a great meet today," Paige told Emily as she dropped her off at her door.

"Thanks, _Coach_ ," Emily teased, with a kiss. "I mean it, though. Thanks: When you talked to me after that first race, it just made me relax and swim."

"You can't let one race define you, Em. I remember my first meet..."

Emily cut her off with a kiss. "You're a great coach, McCullers, but I just want my girlfriend, right now, for the couple of minutes that we have left tonight."

* * *

"I'm going to go check on my girls," Paige told Coach Dooley, one of the other assistants, as she stood up and entered the bus' narrow aisle.

"Tell her I said great job," Coach Dooley smiled, patting Paige on the arm.

It was dark, with only a few reading lights providing illumination. Many of the girls were asleep. Sydney stirred when she heard footsteps coming closer. She smiled up at her coach before moving to another seat so that Paige could sit next to Emily for a few moments.

"Hey, you!" Emily's smile was radiant as she wrapped her arm around Paige's when Paige settled into the seat next to her.

"Were you sleeping?"

"Uh huh," Emily yawned, smiling drowsily. "Are you going to be my pillow?" she asked, dropping her head on Paige's shoulder without waiting for an answer. Paige kissed the top of Emily's head and smiled to herself.

It had been a good weekend.

When the bus pulled back onto the campus at State College, Emily sat up and stretched. She was surprised to see that Paige wasn't still sitting beside her, but she knew that Paige had to start making arrangements for all of the gear and paperwork to get to the right place, and for all of the luggage to get into the hands of its owners - quickly, so that the team could get some much needed rest.

"Disappointed?" Sydney asked when Emily opened her eyes and reacted to finding herself seated next to Sydney again.

"What time is it?" Emily asked, groggy.

"Time to get this sleepy swimmer into her bed!" Sydney replied, rubbing Emily's arms.

"Paige?"

"Your girlfriend is going over the checklists and getting everything unloaded."

Emily got off of the bus and grabbed her bag, then went to stand next to Paige. Paige was pointing people in a thousand directions as she worked to get everything finished fast. When she noticed Emily standing behind her, she reached for her hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Emily put her hand on Paige's back. "Can I stay over tonight? I miss you."

Paige stopped all of her frantic coordinating for a moment and smiled at her girlfriend. "Of course you can, Babe."

* * *

"So. How did I do today?"

"Are you asking me as your coach or as your girlfriend?"

Emily sighed. "Coach, I guess."

"You rocked it!"

Emily perked up, moving over to Paige and placing her hands on her shoulders. "And what did the girlfriend think?"

"Well," Paige said, reaching behind Emily's head and pulling it closer as she ghosted her lips across Emily's, "the girlfriend thought that you were freaking hot." She gave Emily a hard kiss. "Watching you tear up the competition like that made me so hot." Paige used her fingers to part Emily's lips as she leaned in for another searing kiss. "And I couldn't help thinking," she said, her kisses moving down Emily's jawline and to her neck, "that everybody else here knows what a great swimmer you are." She backed away and looked directly into Emily's eyes. "But I'm the only one who really knows just how amazing that body really is."

Paige's words were having a strong effect on Emily. "Paige, ever since our first time, I can't help but think about you whenever I get into the pool."

"Yeah?" Paige smiled into Emily's neck as she continued to press soft kisses against it.

"God, Paige – I've been waiting so long to be alone with you again."

"I have, too. Em. Let's not waste another moment."


	25. The Call

Paige rushed on the last few steps up to Emily's dorm. Emily had texted her that she needed help with something. Paige wondered what Emily found so embarrassing that she couldn't even say what it was. Emily wasn't the high-maintenance type who would call her girlfriend when a light bulb needed changing or a shelf was a little wobbly. Maybe it was a bug or some other kind of intruder?

Paige was hoping that Emily was after a different kind of help entirely. With their busy schedules, and because they were living apart, it seemed that it had been forever since they had been able to connect. Paige laughed to herself at the thought of Emily booty-calling her. After all, Emily wouldn't ask Paige to come over to her tiny dorm room – which she shared with Sydney. If she asked at all, it would be to come over to Paige's apartment.

Paige knocked on Emily's door, but there was reply. She called out Emily's name, but no one came to the door. She looked at her phone. Emily had texted her less than half an hour ago. It seemed odd that she would have fallen asleep or that she wouldn't have texted Paige back if she had gone out.

Paige was about to leave a message on Emily's note board, but she decided to try the door knob first. The door was unlocked, so she opened it slowly, poking her head in. "Emily?"

The room was dark except for the light from the lamp on Emily's desk. The lamp was angled toward the bed, and the first thing that Paige saw was Emily's long, tanned legs, the left crossed over the right, with her shoe dangling from her left foot. As she looked up, she saw that Emily was wearing a dress – _that dress_ – the one that she had used to drive Paige crazy in Lit class at Hollis. She was leaning back on her elbows, her back slightly arched in a way that accentuated her cleavage. The curls of her raven hair were delicately bouncing around and just below her shoulders.

Emily was nervous from the moment that she sent the text. She didn't want to think of herself as needy, but she was really missing Paige – emotionally and spiritually, as well as physically. And, somewhere deep within her, she needed the reassurance that she could still have the same effect on Paige, wearing that dress, that she had the first time. Sitting there in the semi-darkened room, though, it seemed so artificial; so obvious. So desperate.

When she caught sight of Paige, frozen in place, mouth agog, and speechless at the sight of her, all of her fears melted away. "My roommate's away for the weekend," she said in a low, sultry tone, "and I don't feel like being alone. Can you help me with that?" she asked, tilting her head and twisting a curl of hair between her finger and thumb.

The sound of Emily's voice kickstarted Paige's brain. She practically dove onto the bed, attacking Emily with her lips as her hands roamed unabated above the hemline of Emily's dress. Paige was rough and desperate - almost savage - and Emily didn't care. She wanted to be taken, and she was getting her wish.

"Shit, Fuck, Em!" Paige growled wildly. Her hands were feverishly exploring Emily's anatomy. She wasn't able to get out of her clothes fast enough. Neither one of them thought – or would have cared to know – that Paige hadn't bothered to lock the door behind her.

"Do you know how much I wanted to do this the first time that I saw you in this dress?"

Emily moaned into Paige's ear. She frantically pushed her aside so that she could get out of the dress that had ignited the fire. Paige was once again paralyzed by shock and lust at the site of Emily, left totally bare once the dress hit the floor.

Emily didn't want things to slow down. She pulled Paige's arms around her. Once Paige's hands landed against Emily's perfect, smooth skin, they started up again.

Emily ran her fingers through Paige's hair, digging her nails into Paige's scalp. "Fuck me, Paige," she moaned desperately. Before she know what had happened, she was landing hard against the bed, digging her hands into the sheets as her head thrashed against the pillows and her back arched off the mattress, driving Paige's fingers deeper inside of her. Paige was grunting with every thrust. She was like a wanton beast; like a thoroughbred, rearing up, her mane rising and descending in time with the insistent, steady strokes of her fingertips. Emily clenched her fists around the sleeves of Paige's shirt as she came, hard.

"Jesus, Emily!" Paige groaned as she rolled off of her girlfriend, more emotionally than physically drained.

Emily stroked Paige's slightly damp hair, pushing it to the side of her face. "I just really needed that, Paige," she confessed, almost apologetically.

"Not as much as I did," Paige admitted. "God – it seems like forever!" She leaned back into Emily and began kissing her, gently at first. It didn't take long for passion to overtake them again.

"Paige," Emily said, pressing on in spite of the electricity being caused by Paige's kisses on her neck, "I need you out of those clothes."

* * *

"So, you still like that dress?" Emily asked, shyly drawing patterns on Emily's forearm, as she and Paige cuddled together in bed.

"Emily, I'm not going to lie. You looked so unbelievably hot the first time that I saw you in that dress, but, now that you've gotten back to swimming, your body's just on another level."

Emily smiled at hearing that, rewarding Paige with a kiss. "It felt a little bit tighter on me," Emily admitted.

Paige moaned into Emily's lips. "Yeah – tighter in all the right places," she said enthusiastically, running her hands over Emily's curves to accentuate her point.

Emily kissed Paige again, wearing a contented smile as she rolled over and settled into bed.

"So, where's Sydney?" Paige asked after she caught her breath.

"Oh, around. Somewhere. I'm not sure."

"Is she going to be up for practice tomorrow?"

Emily planted her hand on Paige's chest. "Are _you_?"

"Yeah, good point, I guess. But I can have an off day, and it won't show in the pool."

Emily shrugged. "She'll be there. She's not too far. Somewhere on campus."

"Oh_kay? I get the feeling that there's more to the story."

Emily shrugged, not looking at Paige, and, without realizing it, putting a little space between herself and her girlfriend.

"Em?"

Emily huffed. "Fine, Paige." She paused to summon up some courage before she made her confession. "I guess Sydney got tired of hearing me whine about how much I was missing you." Paige smiled warmly, not cockily, and tenderly stroked Emily's cheek. "So, she told me that she would 'scram' and that I should get you over here to seduce you."

Paige couldn't restrain the moan that escaped when she heard that. She was starting to feel warm at the thought of Emily planning her big seduction. "But why here?" she heard herself asking. She didn't want to belittle Emily's big gesture, but Paige's apartment seemed the logical choice. It was larger, there was more privacy, and she wouldn't have had to kick Sydney out.

"She suggested that," Emily said, looking down. "She said that I should go to your place wearing a trench coat and nothing underneath, but I just could…"

Paige tackled Emily with a kiss before she could finish her sentence. The image of Emily showing up at her doorstep and undoing the belt to reveal the perfect, bronzed body beneath it was too much for her.

Emily pulled away from Paige's lips, but Paige shifted her attention to Emily's neck, rendering her breathless and still unable to speak. Finally, she manage to choke out two words: "Paige… practice…"

"It's okay if you're late if you show up with your coach, Em." Emily put her hands on Paige's shoulders and pushed her away, staring at her puzzled. Paige was making no sense. If there was anything worse than showing up late to practice, it would be showing up late with the coach whom everyone knew she was dating. Coach Murphy would undoubtedly impose some limits on their personal life.

"God. I'm sorry. Fuck." Paige didn't even know what she had said, or where the words had come from. Her brain had been fried by the heat of the image that Emily had implanted. "I just – I'm just really needing you right now, Emily, and when you say something like that…"

Emily gave Paige a sympathetic pout and ran her hand through Paige's hair. She gave her a delicate kiss. "We'll catch up later?"

Paige nodded weakly. She knew that she had to be responsible – for Emily's sake, for the team's sake, and for her own sake.

"Tonight? You promise?"

Paige smiled devilishly and kissed Emily hard. "Try to stop me."

Emily made a mental note to turn Paige's fantasy into reality, sometime soon.

* * *

One of the advantages of going to Penn State was that Emily wasn't too far from Rosewood. She was delighted when Hanna texted her that she was going to come out for their first home meet. Of course, Emily would have loved it if her parents had been able to come out, too, but her father was still in Texas for at least another year. She still had three years of eligibility left, though, and she hoped that her parents would be back in Rosewood at some point during her final three years.

But, for now, she was enjoying Hanna's company. Emily and Sydney had done well at their first home meet. It had been sort of a coming-out party for them and the few other freshmen on the squad: Now that they had gotten beyond the jitters of their first meet, they were able to relax and give the home team a glimpse of their true potential. The fact that it was a home meet, and most of the freshmen had friends and family in the stands, was another motivating factor for them.

* * *

Paige had taken her freshmen out for a celebratory dessert – carb-reloading, as she called it – after the meet. Afterwards, Emily and Sydney took Hanna out to a party that the team was throwing in the sorority house. Paige didn't want to go. "Nothing kills a party like having the coach show up!" Emily tried to convince her to come along as her _girlfriend,_ not as the assistant coach, pointing out that many of the swimmers had known her as a teammate before she joined the staff, but Paige stood firm. "This is one of those things that you're going to have to get used to, Emily. I can't just go as your girlfriend. I can't turn off being your coach." Emily nodded, sadly, in acknowledgment. She couldn't say that she understood Paige's position, but she understood that Paige would feel that way. She knew the way that Paige thought. "Anyway," Paige added, "you need some time to catch up with your best friend."

* * *

Emily couldn't deny that she was looking forward to spending time with Hanna. She could tell that Hanna had something going on, something that she was dying to tell Emily, but that she was holding off. Hanna hadn't wanted to distract Emily before the meet and throw her off of her game. After the meet, she wanted Emily to be able to celebrate her performance. Hanna didn't want to shift the focus to herself. At the party, Emily couldn't take it anymore. "So, what's up, Hanna?"

"What's up?"

"I can see that you have some news. What is it?"

"Emily, I came out here to see you at your first home meet. It's not about me."

Emily gently squeezed Hanna's shoulder. "And, I appreciate that, Han. I really do. I can't tell you how much it means to me. But, okay, you were here for me, now I want to know what's going on with you. Are you and Caleb getting married?"

Hanna closed her eyes and smiled as she shook her head no.

"Are you _pregnant?"_ Emily whispered the last word, even though it was almost impossible for her to be heard over the din of the party all around them.

Hanna shook her head once more. "Guess again!"

"I don't _know,_ Hanna! Just _tell me! Please?"_ Emily whined.

Hanna perked up. She pulled Emily by the hand to take her to a quitter corner of the room. "I did it, Emily!"

"You did what?" Emily was out of patience.

"I talked to my parents. I told them that Hollis wasn't for me. I told them that I always wanted to be a designer, and that Hollis wasn't getting me to that goal."

"Wow! How did they take that?"

Hanna laughed. "Well, they weren't surprised," she said, grabbing Emily's arm. "They knew that I wasn't really applying myself at Hollis. They thought that this was just an excuse – a way for me to back out and do nothing. But I did what Paige said: I showed them that I was serious about it, and that I had a plan for how to get there."

"And?"

"They bought it!" Emily gave Hanna a hug. "So, I showed them some of the internships that I had looked at on-line, and I told them that I was going to try to get involved with a firm that would pay for my fashion studies. And, if I don't get an internship, then I'll start looking into trade schools and start sending out my résumé and my designs, try to get my foot in the door."

"Wow!"

"I know, right? It's happening, Em!" Emily gave Hanna another hug. "I know that it's going to be a lot of work. I mean, I'll probably work harder than I did at Hollis, but…"

"It's different when you're doing something that you love."

"Yeah. Yep. And this is definitely something that I love. I mean, if I can't be a professional matchmaker!"

"I'm so happy for you, Hanna!"

"Thanks - and thank your girlfriend! Paige should be my life-coach!"


	26. The Affectionate Drunk

The constant buzz of Paige's phone finally roused her. She stretched out to reach for it on the nightstand, almost falling out of bed in the process. She always put her phone just out of reach on the nightstand when she lay down for the night, ensuring that she would have to get out of bed to turn off the alarm in the morning. That made it less likely that she would fall asleep again as soon as the alarm stopped blaring.

As she swiped her phone unlocked, she noticed the time: 1:24 AM. Her inbox had been flooded with texts from Emily. Drunk texts. With a considerable number of typos and a disregard for sentence structure and grammar, they declared that Emily loved her, missed her, and wanted to fuck her. Paige woke up immediately. Her eyebrows furrowed and her stomach knotted up. She needed to know that Emily was safe.

"PAIGE!" Emily shouted drunkenly enthusiastic into the phone. Paige could hear the party in full swing in the background. "I LOVE YOU!" Paige overheard Emily move the phone from her face and explain, "It's Coach _Paige_ ," her voice somewhat lower. Paige heard hooting in the background in response.

The team didn't call her "Coach Paige," of course. Paige was just grateful that Emily hadn't referred to her as "Coach McHottie."

Paige was doing her best to stay calm and keep her tone even. Her first priority was making sure that Emily was safe, and that she stayed safe. She didn't want to scare Emily into hanging up. "Emily," she said evenly, "where are you?" Emily just laughed and made another declaration of her love of and need for Paige.

"Stay put, Emily. I'm coming to get you. Don't move." Paige was being firm. She was genuinely concerned that Emily would do something stupid.

"Is that Paige my _girlfriend_ or Paige my coach?" Emily asked, suddenly indignant, recalling why Paige had refused to come to the party.

Paige huffed. "Your girlfriend, Emily," she replied, softening her tone. She was coming just as much as a concerned coach as she was coming as a loving girlfriend, but she didn't have time to have that argument with drunk Emily, so she just said whatever would make Emily stay put and wait for her.

Paige pulled on some sweats, grabbed her keys, and went off to retrieve her girlfriend. Emily was happy to see her. Paige had never seen Emily drunk. She was an affectionate drunk; very handsy. Paige was grateful that Hanna was with her, knowing how much Emily's friends looked out for her. Hanna had, obviously, had a couple too many herself, but she seemed less wrecked than Emily was.

For the first time, Paige began to question her decision to join the coaching staff. She should have been there to watch over Emily, and had she not been the team's coach, she would have.

Paige coaxed the drunken duo into her car and took a deep, calming breath. She didn't relax fully until she got them safely back to her apartment.

Paige set Hanna up on the couch with some blankets. She tucked Emily into her bed and pulled an old sleeping bag out of the closet for herself. Emily was excessively affectionate in her drunken state, and she too out of it for any decision-making. Paige thought better than to share the bed with Emily when she was like that. Yes, they were dating, and, yes, they had consummated their relationship, but that didn't give Paige an automatic green light in bed.

* * *

Emily quickly scanned her surroundings when she woke up in the morning, downing the Tylenol and the glass of water that she found on the nightstand next to the bed. She saw that she was in Paige's bed, and she saw the empty sleeping bag that Paige had rolled up and pushed off to the side. Emily realized that Paige had finished the night in the sleeping bag after she got back from picking her and Hanna up from the party. She buried her face in her hands and started crying softly at the mess that she had made of everything. Paige, she concluded, was so angry that she wouldn't even share the bed with her, and had only stayed in the room to make sure that Emily was safe through the night, as the coach looking out for her swimmer.

Emily took a minute to collect herself before she shuffled meekly down the hall, following the smell of eggs and bacon into the kitchen, her head down in repentance and her arms crossed to hide her shame. She lightly touched Paige on the shoulder before she folded her arms in front of herself again and returned her gaze to the floor, trying her best to hide behind her long, black hair.

Paige turned around with a broad smile. "Good morning, Beautiful," she began enthusiastically, until she caught sight of Emily's body language and gathered her into a hug. "Oh, you must feel like crap!"

Emily couldn't take it. Paige was being so caring, and it was just making her feel more and more guilty. She held Paige tight and just bawled like a baby into her shoulder, choking out "I'm sorry, Paige!" into her shoulder over and over between sobs.

Paige rubbed her back, trying to calm her. "Hey, it's okay... You had a bad night, but you're safe."

"I know that you're mad at me," she sobbed. "I know that you couldn't even sleep in the same bed with me. I'm so sorry, Paige!" she bawled. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Paige turned down the heat on the stove and took Emily's hand, leading her into the bedroom for some privacy, since Hanna was sleeping on the couch. She sat Emily down on the bed, told her that she wasn't mad, and explained why she had slept in the sleeping bag, placing her hand on Emily's cheek and giving her a reassuring kiss.

"You're an affectionate drunk, aren't you?" Paige teased.

"I don't know," Emily said, unable to look Paige in the eyes. "I never get like that."

Emily still felt guilty, but she was able to relax somewhat, with the knowledge that Paige hadn't slept in the sleeping bag to punish her. She rested her head on Paige's shoulder, holding on tight to her arm.

"Look, Emily," Paige said, putting her hand on Emily's cheek to keep her from lifting her head from its perch on Paige's shoulder. "You put me in kind of an awkward position last night. We're going to need to talk about that - we both need to figure out how we work this coach/girlfriend thing. But that's not what matters right now. For right now, I just need you to know that whatever happens, you can call me. You don't have to worry about me being mad or me being your coach, okay? Because I'm always going to be your girlfriend first, okay?"

Emily nodded into Paige's shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Paige," she said softly. Paige kissed the top of her head.

"Don't worry about it. You're allowed to go out and be young and celebrate."

* * *

Emily took a sip of her water and looked around at her surroundings. "This is a nice place," she said meekly.

Paige smiled, stroking Emily's forearm. "I'm glad that you like it."

"What made you decide to come here tonight?" Emily probed.

Paige shrugged. "I just thought that we deserved a treat."

Emily nodded, taking another nervous sip from her water glass.

"What are you thinking, Em?"

Emily looked down. "Things have been kind of... weird between us. Since that party."

Paige sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I know that we need to talk about it. I'm just trying to figure things out, still, you know?"

Emily dared to look directly in Paige's eyes, her fear overcome by her need for the truth. "Are you going to break up with me?" she asked flatly.

Paige recoiled a bit in shock at what she had heard. "Oh, God, no, Emily! Shit - is that what you thought?"

Emily shrugged, trying not to let herself get overcome by emotion. She couldn't keep her eyes on Paige's anymore, though. She was afraid that they would tell a different story than Paige's words. So, instead, she looked at Paige's fingers, which she had taken in her own and begun fidgeting with. "It's just," she shrugged, "I know that it's hard for you, and, at Hollis, you told me that you couldn't be my TA. And I know that you can't afford to quit coaching. So, if we need to take a break," she shrugged, "I would understand that it's just..."

"Emily," Paige cut her off, moving her fingers to the outside of Emily's and grabbing Emily's hands firmly. "You're number one. Whatever else changes, I'm not changing our relationship, okay? You're not just a part of my life, Emily. You _are_ my life."

Emily was able to breathe again. She nodded in acknowledgment of Paige's declaration. "So, when is it going to stop being weird?" She needed to know.

"We're going to have to talk about things, Emily. But, can I ask that we have that talk tomorrow? I just want to enjoy a nice evening out right now. We get so few opportunities anymore. And I want to enjoy you, when we get out of here." Emily smiled demurely at the tone of Paige's voice. Paige continued. "Emily, I know that we can only enjoy tonight if we're both relaxed. And if we need to talk about it first, so that you can relax, we'll talk about it."

Emily shook her head. "No, Paige. Knowing that you're not giving up on us is enough for me to relax," she assured her, giving Paige her first real smile of the night.

Paige sighed contentedly. "That smile is probably my favorite thing in the world." Emily leaned closer to Paige, brushing her leg up the side of Paige's leg. " _One_ of my favorite things," Paige corrected in response to the electricity coursing through her at the contact with Emily's leg.

"So, what did you want to do tonight?" Emily asked, smiling because she already knew the answer.

"I thought that maybe we could hang out at my place. Maybe you could sleep over?" Paige said it as a question, even though she was confident of the answer.

"Oh, Paige," Emily said melodramatically, "what about my poor roommate? She's going to get lonely in that room all by herself." Emily was stoking her bare foot up and down the leg of Paige's slacks as she said this.

"What about your poor girlfriend?" Paige countered. "I get lonely, too!"

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Emily smiled. After a pause, she took a more serious tone as she took Paige's hands. "I hate not being able to live with you."

"I hate it, too," Paige agreed, giving Emily's hands a squeeze. "It's a lot harder than I ever imagined that it would be."

"Is it going to be like this until I graduate? Or turn pro?"

Paige sighed and put her hands into her lap. There was no avoiding the subject. It was going to hang over their heads until they discussed it.

"I've been thinking that I need to have a talk with Coach Murphy," Paige announced, "but I wanted us to talk about it first."

"Paige..." Emily stated cautiously. She didn't want Paige to do anything foolish. Paige had already turned her life around for Emily's sake.

"I just want to go over some options, because this isn't working."

Emily shook her head and laughed to herself. Paige, puzzled by the reaction, gave her a questioning look. "Nothing," Emily said. "I'm just glad that we established that you're not giving up on us before we started this conversation. Because," Emily took hold of Paige's hands in a condescending manner, "sometimes, you don't think about the way that the stuff that comes out of your mouth is going to sound to other people."

Paige half-smiled. She wasn't sure what she had said wrong, but she pressed on. "I was thinking of asking Coach whether he could give me a recommendation as a coach or an intern at a high school or maybe at junior college nearby. Just something to keep a little income coming in, and to keep me progressing in the sport, so that, once we decide what we're going to do after you graduate, I'll have something to put on my résumé."

Emily couldn't help smiling at the thought that they were planning for life together after graduation.

"I don't think that you should give up coaching here, Paige."

"I don't want to," Paige replied honestly. "I'd be open to suggestions." Emily crinkled her forehead. "From you or Coach Murphy. But it's a conflict of interest, the same as at Hollis. And I found out on Saturday how I would respond."

"I'm sorry," Emily said genuinely.

"You don't need to be. If it hadn't been Saturday, it would've been sometime. The problem wasn't the party. The problem was that my loyalties are divided. I want you to be able to enjoy college life. I wish that I could've been at that party with you. But, as it stands now, I can't."

"And we can't live together," Emily added.

"We'll work something out, Em," Paige assured her, twisting a lock of Emily's hair between her fingers. "There's a solution out there. There has to be."


	27. The Race

"Are you sure that you don't want me to go with you?" Emily pleaded, one hand stroking Paige's back as the other caressed the back of her neck.

"I would actually love that, Em, but I don't think that it's the way that these things work."

"Okay," Emily said sympathetically, holding Paige tighter around the neck and leaning in for a kiss. "But you text me as soon as it's over."

Paige sighed. "I think that it's going to be a little long for a text. Do you think, maybe, that you could wait outside for me, in the locker room"

"Of course!" Emily gave her another kiss, for luck.

* * *

Paige gave Emily a half smile, and Emily gave Paige a hug when she finally made it into the locker room. Emily took her by the hand and led her to one of the benches, tucking a leg under herself as they sat down. "So?"

Paige let out a sigh. "It went well."

"What happened?"

"Well, I told him why I was there, and he asked me what brought it on. I told him that it was the party on Friday. He asked what happened. I claimed girlfriend privilege." Emily smiled nervously. "He told me that I was obligated to tell him if you guys got into any trouble – especially any legal trouble. I assured him that it was nothing like that, and I told him that I would have made sure that you – all of you – told him yourselves, if I had wind of anything over the line. I mean, even If I weren't your coach, I would encourage you to own up." Emily nodded. "But I told him that you're all good kids, and he agreed." Emily rolled her eyes at the word, "kids." Paige was barely two years older.

Paige continued. "He said that you're allowed to blow off some steam, and that the coaching staff turns a blind eye, as long as it doesn't get out of hand. You know, like fights in the schoolyard."

"Fights in the schoolyard?"

"Yeah. You know, you let them get a couple of good shots in, just to get it out of their system, but you stop it before anyone gets hurt." Emily looked thoroughly confused. Paige rolled her eyes. "Okay, I guess things like that don't happen in Rosewood, but on the mean streets of – "

"Okay, Snoop!" Emily drawled, exasperated. "Just tell me what else happened with Coach."

"Yeah. So, I told him that it wasn't just the party, but that I'm having a hard time keeping the necessary boundaries between swimmer and coach – "

"So am I," Emily interjected.

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't going to throw you under the bus." Emily smiled, rubbing Paige's arm in thanks. "Anyway, the bottom line is, he asked whether or not I could stick it out for the rest of the year, and I said absolutely, you know. I'm not going to bail. He wants me to stick around and concentrate on recruiting after the season ends. So, maybe I can still stay on at Penn State. I wouldn't have any day-to-day interaction with the team. I might snag you to go on some trips with me, though. You know," Paige winked, "parade you in front of those prospectives, give them an idea of how hot the Penn State swimmers are."

Emily bumped Paige's shoulder, smiling. "Do I get a say in which trips?"

"I was thinking North Dakota, Alaska in the winter... all the glamorous trips!" Emily shot her girlfriend a glare. "No, I don't know. I'd be on the bottom of the pole, so I probably wouldn't get any good trips."

Emily pouted sympathetically for a second but perked up immediately. "So, that sounds good. It's like the best of both worlds. If you'd be interested in that kind of position?"

Paige nodded. "Not forever. I mean, I'd definitely want to be closer to the training and competing side of things for the long term, but for as long as you're still swimming, I'd rather do that and stay with the team than be a coach someplace else."

"It's kind of a shame, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know. You really helped Sydney develop into a great swimmer. It's shame that no one's going to be able to benefit from your coaching skills for a while."

"Yeah, I'm going to miss that. But I think that I can still do that kind of thing on a special-assignment basis, you know? Like, if there's another Sydney next year, even though I'm not coaching _per se_ , Coach might ask me to spend some time with her."

"So, what did you tell him?"

"I told him that it sounded intriguing, and that we'd have to give it some thought before I got back to him."

Emily smiled. "You told him _we_?"

"Yeah, of course!" Paige was surprised that Emily was surprised.

* * *

Paige's limbs were loose but sore. She was glad that, in addition to her regular roadwork and her work in the weight room, she had been working out with Sydney and Emily in the pool, so that she didn't feel completely rusty in the water.

She had promised her freshmen that, if they exceeded her performance objectives for the year, she would race one of them head to head at the end of the season. Now, she was getting some work in, in preparation for the swim-off.

On the line were bragging rights. Paige was one of the top swimmers in her era, and the freshmen were constantly hearing the legends of Paige's competitive fire from the juniors and seniors who had swum with her.

Emily was far and away the best of the freshmen swimmers, but Paige let the team decide who would swim against her, in case they thought that she was too close to Emily; that she knew her weaknesses or that Emily wouldn't want to show her up. In fact, she did know Emily's weaknesses, but she knew the weaknesses of all of her team.

Emily was the only one who had actually seen Paige swim, except on video. Paige had been in the water with the team and had demonstrated various techniques with them, but she had never swum against them. Even Emily had only seen Paige swim for exercise, not for speed.

Emily versus Paige was the match-up that everyone wanted to see. The vote was unanimous, with one abstention.

There was great anticipation for the face-off between Coach McCullers and the most promising freshman on the squad. Even the upperclassmen and some of the coaches were there to watch the big race.

Paige let Emily choose the stroke. Paige would choose the distance.

Emily knew that Paige would choose 400 meters, since Emily was stronger in the sprints. Also, Paige was strong in the turn, with her efficient motion and powerful kick off the wall, so the more turns there were, the more seconds she could make up against Emily's speed. Emily considered butterfly - not her strongest stroke, but one that she thought Paige would have trouble maintaining it over the long haul. In the end, though, she chose the medley. They might as well put on a show; let the team see what they could do in all four strokes.

"I don't know what you think you're proving, going up against a geriatric swimmer like me," Paige said as she stretched out next to Emily. Emily just smiled. She knew all about head games. Paige had coached her well. She realized that anything she said could and would be used against her, so, rather than attempt to match wits with her coach, she would let her swimming do the talking.

The horn went off and the swimmers hit the water. Paige's powerful legs gave her an immediate advantage. The freshmen on the team were amazed at the distance that she was able to get on her dive. It didn't take Emily long to catch up in their freestyle laps. Paige was trying to keep it close enough to maintain a respectable distance, but Emily pulled steadily ahead.

Paige held her own on the backstroke, not losing any further ground. She was already beginning to feel it. It had been over two years since she had pushed herself like this.

When they made the turn for the first lap of butterfly, Emily realized that she had made a tactical mistake choosing the medley. No one knew about Paige's abilities in this stroke, not even the juniors and seniors who had been on the team with her. Perhaps some of the coaches coaches knew, but Paige never swam 'fly in competition. They never needed her to, and she was so much better in freestyle and back. But Paige was strong in 'fly. She was beginning to close the gap. When Emily turned her head to breathe, she could see Paige's wake getting closer and closer in the next lane.

Paige took advantage of her powerful kick to get a deep push-off on the turn leading into the first lap of the breaststroke. The butterfly had taken a lot out of Emily. She was swimming on pure adrenaline. On the last lap, the older swimmers' cheers started rivaling those of the freshmen as their coach pulled steadily into the lead and touched the wall less than a second before her star swimmer.

Paige ripped her goggles off and grabbed Emily around the shoulders. "Great race! Great race!" she yelled as she caught her breath. Emily was smiling, nodding her head in agreement. They were on such a high that they both wanted to kiss, but they knew that it wasn't the time. There would be plenty of time for celebration - and massages - behind closed doors.

* * *

"So, how do you feel?" Paige asked Emily during her end-of-season interview. Paige had conducted them with all of the freshmen, giving them a chance to assess their own performance and progress before she weighed in with her opinion and her advice on the areas that they needed to work on in the off season.

"I feel..." Emily paused and leaned her head back before she dropped the bomb, "incredibly horny," she said honestly.

"Emily," Paige whispered, punctuating each syllable of her girlfriend's name, "you _know_ that these interviews are being recorded!"

Emily clapped her hand over her mouth with a gasp, blushing right through her golden brown skin.

"I'm kidding!" Paige laughed. "Seriously, Em!"

Emily gasped again, this time smacking her girlfriend. "That was mean, Paige!"

"I wish it _were_ being recorded," Paige continued, undeterred. "Your face was priceless!" When Emily's face broke into a pout and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, Paige softened, leaning across the table to hug Emily. "Aww - I'm sorry, Em. I couldn't resist. Let's start over, okay? How are you feeling?" as Emily opened her mouth to answer, Paige interjected, "Besides horny."

"Not anymore!" Emily shot back, erasing the cocky smile from Paige's face.

Emily went on to recap her season with Paige, being as modest as she could at what was, objectively, a stellar performance.

"Emily," Paige said in a low, serious tone, once Emily had finished downplaying her performance, "you're an incredible, natural talent who's willing to work hard and who responds well to coaching. I mean, you can take swimming as far as you want to. You know that, right?"

Emily nodded shyly.

"You might want to think about getting an agent. I know that some have been asking to talk to you."

Emily nodded again.

"What are you thinking, Emily?"

Emily shrugged weakly. She was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about the team. Coach Murphy would be happy to support you if you decide to go pro..."

Emily looked at Paige with pleading eyes. "Can _we_ just talk about this, Paige? The two of us? Just... you and me, not Coach McCullers?"

"Of course we can, Sweetie." Paige stood up and gave Emily a tight hug. "I love you so much, do you know that?"

Emily nodded into Paige's shoulder, her hands gripping Paige's neck hard.

"How are the rest of your meetings going?" Emily asked, when they settled back into the interview portion of their time together.

"Not bad," Paige said reflecting on her first few meetings. "You're the only one to answer my 'how are you feeling' question that way, so that was a first."

Emily smacked Paige on the shoulder, laughing. "I'd better be the first!" She paused for a second before she added, "I really am, though. Aren't you? I mean - I just miss you."

"I miss you, too, Babe." Paige reached for Emily's hand across the table.

"I hate this arrangement!" Emily vented, almost crying. She squeezed Paige's hand tighter. "Tell me that it's almost over," she pleaded.

"Almost, Em. Not much longer."

"Do we have to keep this interview... professional?" Emily asked suggestively.

Paige burst into nervous laughter, taken by surprise at the question. "I tell you what. You're my last interview today. Let's call it a day and go grab some lunch."

Emily shook her head slowly, her eyes pleading.

"Or we could go back to my apartment and cuddle?"

Emily stood up and crossed to the other side of the table with a sigh. When Paige stood up, Emily gave her a soft kiss, wordlessly supplying the answer to her question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to any swimmers out there. I am not a jock, and I know nothing of your ways. :)


	28. The Shy Girlfriend

Paige and Emily settled in on the couch, where Paige ordered Chinese while Emily found something for them to watch. Not that it mattered what they watched, or even what they ate. They just wanted to be together under a throw blanket, holding one another. It had been too long.

They didn't exchange many words that evening. Few words were necessary. They had each other, some bad take out, and an irrelevant movie. They were content.

Emily relished the feeling of Paige's strong hand, gently smoothing circles on her back. The circles spanned the space between her shoulders, with Paige's hand making the occasional foray down to Emily's dimples. Emily cooed appreciatively, and, at the sound, Paige leaned in close and brushed the hair away from Emily's neck, depositing an open-mouthed kiss there.

"Paige!" Emily shrieked out in laughter, pushing Paige's face away from the sensitive spot.

"Shit! Sorry, Em! I forgot." Paige kicked herself for having destroyed the mood.

"Like hell you forgot!" Emily pushed Paige down onto her back and climbed astride her, forcing Paige's hands over her head with a devilish scowl.

 _Okay, this night is taking an interesting turn_ , Paige thought. As she struggled to gain the upper hand, she realized just how effective Emily's strength-and-conditioning workouts had been. She made a mental note to compliment Coach Straughn. But that wasn't what mattered right now. "So what are you going to do about it?" she asked, in defiant bluster. But Emily could feel Paige struggling futilely beneath her. She knew that she was in control.

"Whatever..."

Emily used her knees to push Paige's thighs apart.

"... the hell..."

Emily put her full weight atop Paige's chest and leaned her face in tight.

"... I want!" she growled into Paige's ear.

Paige chuckled, only slightly nervous. Not nearly as nervous as she was wet. "What happened to my shy little girlfriend?"

"Ooooh!" Emily growled. Paige knew that those words would set Emily off. Emily bit hard into Paige's shoulder, and Paige's body bucked at the sensation. Emily was still firmly atop her, decisively immobilizing her arms.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Paige laughed.

"Not yet you aren't," Emily barked, "but you're going to be!"

Emily sat up on top of Paige. "Don't move!" she commanded, and Paige shook her head submissively, smiling widely. Emily let go of Paige's hands and roughly undid the buttons on Paige's shirt, watching her fingers as they went to work on each one, her lips pursing and unpursing slightly at each new morsel of exposed flesh. When she pushed the shirt to the side, Paige tried to help by shimmying out of it, but Emily shot her a look. _Don't move_ , Paige remembered, and she lay still again.

Emily slowly pulled her own shirt over her head and cinematically unlooped her bra and removed it. Paige was doing her best not to move, but she couldn't control the spasming of her legs at the sight of Emily's ample breasts unleashed. Emily smirked at the reaction. Evidently, that movement was permissible.

Emily pushed the cups of Paige's bra off of her breasts and leaned in, intently rubbing her hardening nipples against Paige's as she gave her a deep, searing kiss. Paige's head rose as she met Emily at the kiss, stroking and sucking on her tongue, but she made sure not to move her hands from the spot where Emily had left them, above her head.

Emily gave Paige's cheek the most tender caress - the tenderness out of character with the rest of the encounter - and stood up. With her back turned to Paige, she pulled down her jeans and panties with an exaggerated bend at the waist. Paige let out a frustrated moan, using every last bit of her self-control to comply with the "Don't Move" directive, despite the tantalizing sight before her. Emily wiggled her hips ever so slightly, just to add to the torture.

The next thing that Paige knew, Emily was sitting on her face, working at getting Paige's pants off. Paige grabbed Emily's ass and began rubbing it as she licked between Emily's folds.

"Yeah, Baby," Emily cooed, not missing a beat as she got Paige's pants down as far as her knees and started kissing and rubbing Paige's thighs. Paige felt the hardness of Emily nipples against her lower abdomen. She would have to thank Coach Straughn for the flexibility work, as well.

Paige heard a rip. Apparently, Emily couldn't be bothered pulling her boyshorts out of the way. Paige wasn't complaining. The underwear was already ruined, at that point, anyway. Emily's probing fingers met no resistance, and Paige let out a gasp as they entered her. Her head flew back against the cushions as she wilted under Emily's ministrations. "Don't fucking stop!" Emily said, with more pleading and desperation than authority in her voice. Paige dug her fingertips into Emily's cheeks and resumed her rhythm. She moved her hand between them and stroked Emily's clit, the movement finally breaking Emily's concentration on Paige's needs. Emily let out a desperate moan, and that was all the direction that Paige needed.

Paige flipped Emily underneath her, giving her mouth a better angle at Emily's entrance. Emily put her hand on top of Paige's head as it bobbed in and out, the waves of her auburn hair massaging Emily's thighs with each piston-like movement. Paige rubbed firm, smooth hands over Emily's thighs and her waist. When her hands drifted down to Emily's ass, Emily screeched, "Smack it!" Paige obliged with a loud grunt, the smack sending shock waves from Emily's core straight to the pleasure center of her brain.

The sounds coming from deep within Emily's throat were driving Paige crazy with delight, desire, and lust. She had never felt more connected to Emily in all of their time together.

Emily would have agreed with that feeling had her mind been capable of coherent thought. She was holding on to only one thought: _hold on_. She wanted to make this last and last. It wasn't just the mind-blowing sex. It was that feeling that she hadn't experienced in so long: The feeling that it was just the two of them, with nothing and nobody else in all of time and space. She was losing herself; she had never been so ecstatically lost in Paige; in their _oneness_.

Only with Paige did Emily feel safe enough to allow herself to lose herself like that.

When she finally shuddered into climax, she almost would have sworn that felt the earth quake. Paige immediately turned gentle. She realized that this was no ordinary orgasm, and she knew that Emily would need time to come back to herself.

Emily reached out a desperate hand and grabbed tight onto Paige's arm. She had a faraway look in her eye, and her breathing was shallow and quick. Paige lovingly stroked her arm, smiling at her to let her know that she was there. Still there. And that she would always be there.

* * *

Emily woke up sometime in the middle of the night, not sure how she had gotten into bed. She was naked, and she could feel Paige's body, naked, behind her. Her arm had fallen asleep, but when she tried to move to relieve the pressure on it, Paige's arms tightened around her, keeping her firmly in place. "Paige... Paige!" she moaned.

Paige shook the sleepiness away. "Huh? What? You okay, Emily?" she groaned

Emily laughed to herself. "I need to move."

Nothing.

"Paige?"

"Oh." Paige realized how tightly she was gripping Emily and relaxed her arms. "Sorry, Em."

"How late were we up?"

Paige shrugged. "I woke up and we had fallen asleep on the couch," she yawned. "12:30, maybe?"

"I don't remember getting up."

Paige smiled, tugging on a strand of Emily's hair. "You didn't. You just looked so angelic that I couldn't bear to wake you."

"Oh." Emily smiled and kissed the hand that was fiddling with her hair. "So, sleeping naked was your idea?"

Paige smiled shyly behind Emily's head. "Well, you just looked so angelic that I couldn't bear..." Paige trailed off.

"When are we getting up?"

Paige shrugged. "What do you have to do today?"

"I don't know." Emily yawned. "So, we can just sleep in?"

"Yeah. It's nice not to have to get up every day and train, isn't it?"

"Psssh! As if you'd know anything about training! You're losing your edge, McCullers! You couldn't even knock me off of you."

"I didn't want to," Paige claimed.

"Admit it, Paige, I dominated you!"

"Yeah, whatever, Em! The way that I dominated you in the pool?"

"Yeah, whatever, McCullers." Emily giggled, reaching back to touch Paige's cheek. She cuddled into Paige and yawned. "I missed this. I missed _us_."

"I did, too, Em."

"I like waking up in your arms. I like knowing that you've got me all night long."

Paige squeezed Emily to confirm that she did, indeed, have her.

"We're going to have to talk about the future, aren't we?"

Paige nodded her affirmation into Emily's shoulder. "Not now." She kissed the shoulder. "Sleep now. We've got plenty of time to talk." she squeezed Emily again. "We've got all the time in the world."

Emily turned around, smiling, and gave Paige a quick kiss. She loved the sound of that.

* * *

The next time Paige awoke, she found that Emily had switched positions so that her head was down at the foot of the bed. She could feel Emily's finger gently the tattoo on her lower calf.

When Paige sat up to take a closer look, Emily sat up as well, and moved the circling finger up to Paige's triceps. "Did you ever think about getting another tattoo?" she asked, not realizing that she had punctuated the question by drawing a question mark on Paige's bicep with her finger.

Paige shrugged. "Not really. That one wasn't really even my idea." Emily scrunched up her lips. "Disappointed?"

Emily shrugged. "I guess not."

"Emily, do you _want_ me to get another tattoo?"

Emily smiled shyly. "Back at Hollis, I used to think about whether or not you had any other ones."

"You used to _fantasize_ about it?" Paige was suddenly a lot more interested in the conversation.

Emily looked down. "No, not really," she said through a smile. "Nothing bad. I just used to think about what it would be like. You know, if you had a tattoo, and you and I were the only ones who knew about it."

Paige blushed a little, in spite of herself. "And the tattoo artist." Emily smiled. "And where were you thinking that this tattoo would be?"

"I don't know," Emily said demurely. She pulled the hair off of the back of Paige's neck and made an X with her finger there. Paige was starting to feel something. "Maybe like a Chinese character there, or..." She stroked her finger on the side of Paige's still-bare breast. "I don't know," she said again, with a shrug. "Just something that I could play with on a lazy morning in bed like this." She idly bit her lip and gave Paige's breasts a playful squeeze.

Paige had just about all that she could take, at that point. She pushed Emily down on the bed and started kissing her wildly. Emily let out a squeal of delight. This wasn't the result that she had envisioned, but she was definitely glad that she'd brought the subject up.

* * *

Once the season ended, Emily began spending less and less time in her dorm room and more and more time in Paige's apartment. She felt bad for Sydney, but Sydney insisted that she was fine. "I'm not an only child," she teased, making light of the matter, "so I've never had my own room before. It's a nice change!"

Emily knew that Sydney was joking, but she half expected to get back to the room someday and find that Sydney had redecorated; moving the beds together to form a single king-size bed, or packing all of Emily's clothes into boxes to clear up drawer and closet space.

They still saw a lot of each other, of course. If for no other reason, they were each other's off-season training partners. They invited Paige to join them, but she declined. If she did it for them, she would have to do it for all of the freshmen, and she really didn't have that kind of time. This ended up working in favor of Emily and Sydney's bonding time, as they made lunch after their sessions in the pool a part of their training routine.

* * *

"So, I hear that you're going to turn pro?" Sydney offered over pizza during one of their after-training feasts.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh, God. Please tell me that that rumor isn't making the rounds..."

"But you _are_ being recruited?"

"I _guess_ ," Emily shrugged dismissively.

"So?"

"So, what?"

"Are you going to abandon us to go swim for the big bucks?" Sydney's tone was teasing, but her concern was genuine.

"I honestly don't know, Syd. That seems to be the 'proper' thing to do. Whether or not it's right for _me_ doesn't seem to figure into the equation," Emily concluded in frustration.

"Who's telling you that it's the proper thing? Paige?"

"No. I mean, Paige always tells me that I should do whatever's best for me, and that I should get the most out of my time in college. But we still haven't really discussed my turning pro. I think that we're both avoiding it."

"You're avoiding it? It sounds as though you don't want to do it?"

Emily sighed again, leaning back in her chair. Before she spoke, though, she leaned over the table, almost as if what she was about to whisper was top-secret information. "Is it bad if I say that I don't?"

Sydney's head snapped back. "Why would that be bad?"

"Well, it's as if I'm letting everyone down. You know, 'I've been given this gift,'" Emily said in a mocking voice, echoing the words that everyone, it seems, had been telling her, "and I'd be wasting it if I didn't go pro."

Sydney laughed. Emily looked at her confused. "Emily, by that logic, you should be bi!"

Emily was still confused.

"I mean, you've got this great body, but you're wasting it by not sleeping with guys."

Emily dipped her head and smiled shyly, shaking her head.

"Exactly," Sydney said. "You've got to do what's right for you. Be true to yourself."

Emily got up to hug Sydney. She had given her something to think about, although the decision was still not going to be an easy one.


	29. The B&B

"Hanna, where are you?"

"I don't know, Emily. I'm around trees. All I see is trees." The annoyance was obvious in Hanna's voice.

"Well, what does your GPS say?"

Hanna pressed a button on her GPS and let the speakerphone pic up its flat, monotonous reply: **In approximately 3 hundred thirty-two miles, turn slight left to stay on Route 95 North.**

"332 miles, Em!" Hanna screamed into the phone. "I have to go another 332 miles before a fucking lane change!" Emily put her hand on her chest, laughing hard. "Like, who the fuck goes to fucking Vermont for Spring break?"

"Sorry, Hanna. That's what happens when you're dating an older woman!" Emily was sure to say "older" extra loud, even though Paige could hear her every word from the driver's seat.

"She's not your grandma!" Hanna was still yelling, burning off steam. "She's still young enough to go to Cabo!"

"I told you, Han. She doesn't want to go someplace where we'll be surrounded by 'drunk, hormone-crazed kids.'" Emily deepened her voice as she quoted Paige. "She wants to go someplace chill, where we can decompress and come back rested."

"Fuck," Hanna almost whispered. "Maybe she _is_ your grandma!"

"Hanna..."

"Can't you just ply her with sexual favors or something?"

"Hanna!" Emily gasped in shock.

"What did she say?" Paige looked over from the driver's seat, smiling in anticipation at hearing whatever inappropriate thing it was that Hanna had said.

"She wants me to ply you with sexual favors," Emily said, exaggeratedly loud, so that Hanna would know that she was telling Paige.

"Actually, that probably would've worked," Paige laughed, "but it's a little late now!"

Emily smiled, about to relay Paige's response to Hanna, but Hanna cut her off. "I heard, I heard," she said, exasperated.

Paige smiled over at Emily when Emily ended the call. Emily was shaking her head, also smiling.

"So, you were saying? You and Sydney talked?"

"Yeah. So, she said that it was like being gay, you know? The fact that I can sleep with guys doesn't mean that I want to. Or that I have to. I don't know - it sounded better when she said it."

Paige laughed heartily. "No, I get it, Emily. If I were a coach, I might use that analogy myself, except that, if I _did_ , I'd probably get in trouble with the NCAA."

"But is it bad, though?"

"No, it's a great analogy. They're just hypersensitive."

"No, I mean, is it bad if I decide not to go pro? Would it look bad?"

"To whom?"

"To Coach Murphy?"

Paige laughed. "If it meant that he'd have you on his team for another three years, I'm sure that he'd be dancing for joy."

"Well, what about to the agents?"

"They'll wait, Em. You're young. You've still got plenty of strong swimming years ahead of you - if that's what you decide that you want. They want to get you into the system as soon as possible, because it's a revenue stream for them. For you, too, if you want that. It's win-win, in that case."

"I don't know. If I had to make a choice right now, I'd say that I _don't_ want to."

"And that's fine. And it's good to know that you don't have to make a choice right now."

Emily nodded. Paige registered the nod in her peripheral vision, but she kept her eyes on the road.

Emily was ready to change the subject.

"So, this place is nice?"

"The B & B?" Paige looked over, and Emily nodded. "It's supposed to be," Paige shrugged. "The pictures look nice."

"You've never been?"

Paige shook her head.

"Never came up with Lacey Lowman?"

"Never borrowed my Dad's car to transport a minor across state lines in an old, beat-up Subaru?" Paige smiled over at Emily. Emily just rolled her eyes. Yes, it was a stupid question. She just wanted to know that she was Paige's first.

* * *

"You've got to admit, Hanna, this place is pretty nice," Emily said, pointing out the lake. "I mean, just look at the water. It's beautiful!"

"Hmm. Yeah, water" Hanna replied sarcastically. "Only one thing missing."

"What's that?"

"Hot guys!" Caleb cleared his throat. "Well, duh, Caleb. You're hot, but you know what I mean."

"Look, we're here now, so why don't we just enjoy it?" Paige was trying to be the voice of reason.

"I'm just saying, Paige. We go to Spencer's shore house every summer to decompress. For Spring Break, we need to go someplace where we can let loose."

"Well, it's not as if you're in school anymore, Hanna. You and Caleb can go on Spring Break next week!"

Hanna looked at Caleb. They both smiled. "So, you guys can watch Tristan?"

Emily shook her head vigorously. "I'm not allowed to have animals in my dorm," she pointed out, as her excuse.

"No, but I can have them in my apartment!" Paige eagerly pointed out. She knelt next to Tristan, rubbing behind his ears. "Do you want to come to State College with Auntie Paige, big guy?"

"Paige…"

"Aw, it'll be great, Em! I'd love to have a dog around the apartment, wouldn't you?"

"You don't mind driving all the way back to State College with a dog in the back seat?"

"He'll be fine. Won't you, boy?" Paige asked in the baby voice that she always used with Tristan.

"I'm just glad that we took _your_ car," Emily said, mainly to herself. Paige was off in another world, with Tristan.

* * *

"Paige!" Emily pleaded from her lounge chair. "Come on, take a break!" Paige and Tristan had been running around the lake for the better part of an hour. Paige looked over to where Emily lay lounging, her bikini bottoms covered by a towel, her tanned skin glistening under a layer of sunscreen, the black bikini top standing in perfect contrast, and Emily's no doubt pleading eyes hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. She made a compelling case. Paige walked over in her direction. When she got closer, Emily reached up to grab her by the arm. "We're supposed to be chilling. Come sit with me," she said with the sweetest smile.

Paige leaned over and gave Emily a kiss. She tugged at her t-shirt a couple of times, to get a cooling flow of air going. "Wow, I really worked up a sweat," she said as she pulled the shirt over her head. Emily squirmed a little in her seat at the sight of Paige's elongated torso as her arms moved over her head.

"Do you need some sunscreen?" Emily asked, wiggling the bottle at her.

'No, I'm good," Paige said, smiling, as she sat down.

"Paige. With your fair skin, you need UV protection. Get over here." Paige willingly gave in. She liked the idea of Emily's smooth hands massaging sunscreen into her skin. Emily sat up in her lounge chair and pulled Paige's chair closer. She took a towel and gently dabbed the perspiration off of Paige's skin. "God, you smell so good," Emily said, and Paige purred. "Oh, shit – did I say that out loud?" Emily laughed shyly. Paige caught hold of Emily's hand and gave it a kiss.

"Ack! It's Cold!" Paige protested when the first of the sunscreen hit her back.

"Sorry!" Emily kissed Paige's shoulder and rubbed her hands together to warm the sunscreen a little before she continued. "Better?"

"Mmm… You're good to me," Paige said, moving her hair out of the way so that Emily could get her neck.

"I _love_ you," Emily said, in response to Paige's observation. She kissed the newly exposed skin on the back of Paige's neck, and Paige reached behind her to give Emily a hug.

"I love you, too, Emily."

* * *

The hotel had a breakfast kitchen, but the guests were on their own for other meals. Emily had noticed a nice looking restaurant on the way in, and, since no one was in the mood to cook, they decided to give it a shot.

Hanna was in rare form at dinner. She had a million observations about the people, places, and things that she had encountered in her fashion internship. Caleb was taking it all in stride, nodding, laughing, and shaking his head at all of the appropriate moments.

Paige excused herself to retrieve something from the car. Emily looked at her, confused, wondering what she could possibly need right at that moment. Paige smiled and leaned down to give Emily a kiss, promising that she would be right back.

"Maybe she's got an engagement ring out there," Hanna speculated, taking a rare break between her stories before jumping right back into them. She was still going on and on when Emily, worried after watching the minutes click by on her phone again and again, got up to make sure that Paige was okay.

As she approached Paige's car, she could see her arms flailing wildly and her head bobbing back and forth. When she opened the door on the passenger side, Paige let out a gasp of surprise and embarrassment, turning down the radio and bringing her one-woman dance party to an immediate end.

"Oh, hi, Em," she said sheepishly. "Did you miss me?" she tried to joke.

Emily was smiling as she shook her head. "Couldn't take any more?"

"Emily, she just does not stop! I don't know how you and Caleb handle it!"

"Oh, she's just excited, Paige. This is her dream!"

Paige sighed. "We have to go back, don't we?"

Emily nodded, giving Paige a sympathetic pout.

"Want to make out?" Paige asked brightly, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yes," Emily said slowly, drawing out the word. "But you _know_ that we have to go back inside."

"Ohhhh, Emily," Paige groaned. "Don't make me go! I'm sure that they're doing fine without us! Hanna probably hasn't even noticed that we're gone yet!"

"Paige, you've got no one but yourself to blame, you know!" Paige knit her eyebrows. "You were the one who got her excited about following her dreams!"

"Only because I couldn't handle tutoring her anymore. Shit. I should've left it alone. At least she didn't talk about school the way that she talks about this!"

Emily gave Paige a kiss on the cheek. "You're a good soul, Paige McCullers. You rescued her from a life that would have been horrible for her."

* * *

"So, what did you guys do, have a quickie in the car?" Emily elbowed Paige in the side, to keep her from saying what Emily knew that she was thinking: _If we were going to get accused of it anyway, we might as well have done it!_

Hanna was more subdued. Caleb had a hand on her bicep. Paige realized that he must have suggested that she tone it down.

* * *

"So, are you glad that we came here?" Paige asked as she wrapped her arms around Emily and settled in to get some sleep.

"It's nice. Cozy."

"You wouldn't rather be in Cabo?"

Emily turned around and smiled at her. "I wasn't really in the mood for all that craziness, to be honest." With a kiss, she added, "I've got everything that I want right here."

Paige took a deep breath. "So, what do you think that I should do about the recruiting job?"

Emily stroked Paige's cheek. "What do you want to do?"

Paige rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "I wish I knew."

"Would there be a lot of traveling?"

Paige shook her head. "It would be a lot of going through reports and looking at film. And it would involve coordinating visits to bring recruits to campus. I might go on one or two trips a year."

"Is it something that interests you?"

"Not so much. It would be an investment. I found out this past season that I really like coaching."

"And you're good at it!"

"Thanks." Paige kissed Emily's cheek.

"No, you really are. You did such a great job with Sydney. And with me." Paige took in a breath, but Emily cut her off. "Don't even say it, Paige. I'm being serious."

Paige chuckled. "I didn't have to do anything for you. You were obviously going to develop into a huge talent."

Emily smiled, accepting the compliment. "Anyway..."

"Anyway, I really like coaching, and this is one of the things that I would need on my résumé if I wanted to coach full time. You know, as a head coach."

"And the downside?"

"The downside is that I'm not really sure that I want to give up on my studies, and coaching would pretty much mean giving up on my dreams of getting a PhD."

Emily nodded.

"I don't know, Emily. What do you think?"

Emily put her head on Paige's chest, finding her hand and intertwining their fingers. "Well, I know that you really love coaching." Paige smiled and nodded. "Do you really love Lit?" Paige nodded. "Do you want to give coaching a year, see how you like it, and whether or not it's worth giving up Lit for?"

"Maybe."


	30. The Long Talk

Paige gasped in surprise as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel and found Hanna sitting on her bed, smiling widely at her. "Um, hey, Hanna…"

"Hi, Paige! Nice shower?" Hanna asked, oblivious to Paige's surprise and discomfort.

"Sure…" Paige said tentatively, trying to get a grip on the situation as she subconsciously tightened the towel around her. "So, what's going on?"

"Nothing," Hanna shrugged, still smiling, still oblivious.

"Why are you here?" Paige finally realized that she was going to have to be blunt.

"To talk," Hanna replied casually.

Paige cringed internally. This was like having a conversation with a three year old. Who didn't speak English.

"Well, Emily went into town. She should be back in a few minutes or so."

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Not to Emily. I wanted to talk to you, silly."

"Oh."

Hanna smiled up at Paige from the bed, but said nothing further.

"Well, is it all right if I get dressed first?"

"Of course!" Hanna chimed brightly.

Paige shifted awkwardly from one foot to another. Hanna just kept flashing her a smile. Paige tilted her head toward the door, rolling her eyes in that direction.

"You want me to leave?" she sneered incredulously. Paige just widened her eyes and leaned her head closer to Hanna, as though the answer should be obvious.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Ugh! It's nothing that I haven't seen before! I've seen your _girlfriend_ naked before, long before _you_ did!"

"Hanna – "

"All right! All right! I'm going! Jeez – somebody needs to chill!"

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk about, Hanna?" Paige, now fully dressed and in the comfort of being in the B&B's lounge rather than alone in her bedroom, was anxious to hear what was on Hanna's mind.

Hanna just shrugged. Paige pinched the bridge of her nose. It was like tutoring Hanna all over again.

"Look," Paige said, trying to maintain her composure, "I'm sure that Emily's back by now." Paige reached for her phone, but Hanna took hold of her wrist before she could reach it.

"Okay, Paige. I'll tell you. It's just… I – this is hard for me."

Paige's skepticism changed immediately to concern. She didn't know why Hanna wanted to talk to her, first of all, and why she didn't want to talk to Emily, but she could see that Hanna needed her help. "It's okay, Hanna. Take your time. Do you want to go someplace where we can talk privately?"

"Can we take a ride?"

"Sure. If Emily has my car back."

"Or we could take my car."

"Are you sure that you're okay to drive?" Hanna shrugged. "May I drive your car?" Hanna smiled. Paige stood up, offering Hanna a hand to help her up. As they walked out, Hanna grabbed Paige's arm and rested her head on Paige's shoulder.

The hotel's automatic doors slid open for them just as Emily walked in from the other direction, doing a double-take at the sight. "Hi, guys?" She looked confused.

"Hi, Emily!" Hanna was her bright self again, for a moment. "Paige and I are going out for a drive!"

"Uh huh…" Emily quirked her eyebrows, looking at Paige to see whether or not she was okay. Paige shrugged her shoulders and nodded. Emily gave Paige a kiss, still concerned, and whispered, "Call me!" into Paige's ear as she walked past.

"Okay, Hanna," Paige said as she put the key in the ignition. "Where are we headed?"

"I don't know," Hanna said. "Can we just get on the highway for a bit?"

"O-kay," Paige drawled pensively.

"The engine noise helps calm me."

Paige tried to give Hanna time to open up, but after several minutes of listening to to Hanna make small-talk about the scenery, the people on the road and the cars that they were driving, and whatever other thoughts came into her head, Paige had had enough.

"Hanna!"

"Hmm?" Hanna offered innocently.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Hanna let out a long sigh. "Okay, Paige. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Well, you don't have to get angry!"

Paige tried her best to sound calm. "I'm not angry, Hanna. It's just - you got me out here, you said that you wanted to talk with me about something, and all you've done is talk about nothing."

"But we had fun, didn't we? Just hanging out? We never get to hang out."

Paige exhaled hard. "You don't have anything to talk to me about, do you?"

"I do! I need to tell you about this dream that I had last night!"

"Hanna, are you yanking my chain?"

"No - it's important!"

"Wait. Is that my phone?"

"Oh, yeah. I got it. You're driving!"

"Who is it?"

"Emily. Or should I say, 'Legz4Days.'"

"What are you typing?"

"She asked whether or not you were okay. 'Yes,'" Hanna spoke as she typed, "'Just out for a drive with your friend, Hanna. She's so cool!'"

"That's it." Paige had enough. "I'm heading back!"

"But you didn't let me tell you about my dream, though!"

"Look, Hanna." Paige was desperate. "It's my birthday!"

"Oh, yeah! Happy Birthday, Paige!"

"And I'd like to spend some of it with my girlfriend?"

"Okay. But first, let me buy you a drink!"

"Hanna, I've been out with you all morning!"

"Please? Just one birthday drink, and we can go back. I promise! Please?" she pouted.

"Are you even old enough to buy me a drink?"

"Okay, so you buy, and I'll pay you back."

"Fine. Just make it quick!"

"Yay!" Hanna clapped her hands. "I saw a place not too far from here!"

Paige pulled into a parking space and leaned her head back against the headrest, staring at the ceiling. She looked over at Hanna, forcing a smile. When they got out of the car, Hanna put her arm around Paige's shoulder. "Come on, Paige! Cheer up! It's your birthday!"

Paige shook her head and plastered a smile on her face and put her arm around Hanna's waist.

"So, if I were a lesbian, you'd hit on me right?" Paige burst into laughter. "Don't be too amused. I've actually got feelings, you know!"

"Sorry, Hanna. You're just..." Paige took a moment to come up with a kind way to put it. " _way_ too much woman for me!"

Hanna kissed her on the cheek and stepped back so that Paige could open the door. "Surprise!" she said, as they stepped inside. Just inside the door, Emily, Caleb, Shana, and Paige's parents joined in with the chant of "Surprise!" it took Paige a moment to realize what was going on.

"Happy birthday!" Emily said, giving Paige a quick kiss. "Sorry - you weren't supposed to spend that much time with Hanna, but your parents got caught in traffic."

Hanna pulled Paige from Emily's arms back into sideways embrace with which they had entered the restaurant. "She _loved_ it!"

Paige carefully disentangled herself from Hanna's hug and took Emily's hand. "You put this together?" Emily nodded in proud satisfaction.

"You didn't have any idea what was going on?"

"Hanna had me so discombobulated that I barely knew my name."

"That was the plan!"

"Thanks, Emily." Paige gave her a kiss. "But, please don't ever make me go through that again!"

* * *

"So, had you been planning that for a long time?" Paige was getting ready for bed, and Emily was sitting on the bed, watching her.

"Not too long," Emily said, looking longingly at Paige's body as her shirt went over her head.

"What?" Paige said, smiling at the look that Emily was giving her.

Emily rolled her eyes. Paige knew exactly what Emily was staring at.

"Stop staring, Emily! You're kind of freaking me out."

Emily stood up and took a step over to where Paige was standing, paused in the middle of taking off her outfit and putting on her night clothes. She placed her hands ever-so-gently on Paige's sides. "Really?" she asked, staring into Paige's eyes.

Paige laughed. "Should I even bother to put pajamas on?"

Emily nodded, moving her hands behind Paige's neck, tilting her head as she gave her a long, deep kiss. "Yes," she said when their lips parted. "It's more fun when I get to take them off of you."

As they sat down on the bed, Emily traced her index finger the length of Paige's arm, watching it on its path as she told went back to Paige's question about the surprise party, "I just wanted to do something special for you."

Paige gave her a gentle kiss. "It was really special, Emily. It's great to see my parents. When I was competing, I used to see them all the time at the meets, but now that swimming's over, it seems..." Paige stopped mid-sentence when she read the look of sadness in Emily's eyes. Emily still wasn't looking at her. "Am I talking too much?" Emily smiled and shook her head no. Paige took Emily's head in her hands and looked her in the eyes. "Are you all right, Emily?"

Emily nodded and sighed. She turned, slightly, so that she could lean back into Paige as they sat on the bed. Paige moved back slightly so that she was leaning against the headboard, and she wrapped her arms around Emily. "What are you thinking, Em?"

"I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate the fact that you put your life on hold for me. And I don't think that I tell you that enough. Not everyone would have done that. And I wouldn't want to be here without you. As hard as it is, not living together - not coming home to you every night - it would be impossible for me if you hadn't come with me. I would have just stayed in Rosewood if it meant that I could be with you, but you didn't make me have to make that choice. I mean, you always do everything for me. And I just wish that I did more for you." Emily looked into Paige's eyes before she let her head rest against Paige's chest again.

Paige tightened her hug around Emily and kissed the top of her head. "I have a confession to make, Emily." Emily tilted her head up and looked to see what Paige was going to say. "I didn't come back to Penn State for you."

"No?"

"I came back for _me_. I don't want to be anywhere where you're not. It wasn't a sacrifice for me. It was a dream come true."

* * *

Early the next morning, Paige, Emily, and Tristan piled into Paige's car for the ride back to State College. Hanna and Caleb sent Tristan's bed, his food, and various toys with him. Emily was skeptical how he would handle the trip, and hoped that he would fall asleep. Tristan had other ideas. He spent most of the trip walking in a tight circle from one window to the other, rubbing his wet nose against them until Paige rolled the window down and he was able to poke his head out a little bit. When he got bored, he perched between the seats, poking his head between them as if trying to insert himself into the conversation.

"I didn't have any idea just how big Tristan was until now," Emily said.

"Aww," Paige said, taking her hand off the wheel to rub behind Tristan's ears and to let Tristan give it an enthusiastic lick. "Em, we've got to get a dog!"

"Yeah," Emily scoffed. " _That's_ what our lives are missing!" Paige rubbed Emily's leg and tried to caress her face, but Emily batted it away. "No! Get that dog-saliva hand away from my face!"

When they finally made it back to State College, after a couple more stops than they would have ordinarily made, so that Tristan could get some exercise and some relief, Paige was wiped out. She crashed on the bed for a couple of hours while Emily worked on a paper and occasionally gave Tristan some attention. She understood that it must be difficult for him, to be in a strange environment without Hanna and Caleb.

What Tristan really wanted was to go out and explore this new environment; to see what other dogs and animals had been there, and to let them know that there was a new dog in town. But Emily was occupied, and Paige was fast asleep. His exploration would have to wait.

Sunday was the last day of Spring Break. On Monday, they would have to go back to their normal routines, sleeping in their normal beds. Paige had been pampering Emily all day, starting with a nice breakfast in bed, followed up by a long, hot shower, and a soothing massage. They spent the afternoon watching bad horror movies from the seventies.

Tristan had settled into Paige's apartment reasonably well. He was lying in his dog bed, chewing on a naugahyde bone, only stirring to investigate every time that he heard the occasional footsteps in the hall.

After a pizza dinner, Paige and Emily relaxed on the couch under a blanket, talking about nothing in particular until things started to get a little too flirty and they moved to the bedroom.

Paige was in full seduction-mode. Emily smiled to herself at the predictability of it all: Paige's voice got deeper and she used more words, interspersing breathy moans as she pressed her lips close to Emily's ear and her hands rubbed circles on her ass. As predictable and familiar as it was, it was effective, and Emily, as usual, felt herself starting to melt under Paige's touch. She maneuvered herself onto her back and gently coaxed Paige on top of her. Paige broke into her cocky grin and moved in for the kill.

All of a sudden, Emily shrieked in laughter. "Paige! Cut it out!" she yelped, and Paige, confused and feeling slightly guilty, moved off of Emily. Emily realized what was going on and sat up, angrily pointing to the door. "Tristan! Out!" Tristan took a step toward the door and pivoted back toward the bed, knowing that he had been banished but curious about the ritual whose sounds had drawn him into the bedroom in the first place. "Paige!" Emily whined, "he was licking my feet!"

Paige couldn't help chuckling to herself as she wrapped herself in the sheet and ushered Tristan back to his bed, shutting the door behind her when she returned. "Where were we?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, I was about to go wash the dog-saliva off of my foot!" Emily stated indignantly.

"Aw, come on, Em! Don't be like that," Paige pleaded with a pout. "It's our last night of Spring Break together!"

Emily let out a deep breath. She extended her hands to Paige, standing up to give her a hug. "We're never getting a dog!" she asserted.


	31. The Banquet

Emily opened her door with a smile, expecting to see Paige, but the smile quickly turned to an open-mouthed gawk when she actually saw her.

Paige was wearing a tight, off-the-shoulders, beaded black dress that hit above the knees and appeared to have been tailor-made for her body.

Before Emily's brain fully registered what was happening, she found herself kissing Paige passionately with her hands clutching Paige's ass. Paige let the dozen roses that she had in her right hand drop to the ground in her rush to catch up with the embrace. It went on until they heard a nervous chuckle from inside the room.

"Ha! Don't mind me!" Sydney said, bending her knees, pressing her hands together out in front of herself, and ducking her head as squeezed past them through the doorway.

Paige began blushing furiously, trying to hide her face in Emily's shoulder, as Sydney passed. "Hi, Coach," Sydney said under her breath. "Just leaving..."

"Do you want a ride?"

"Uh, no, ha... I wouldn't want to, uh..." Sydney stammered nervously. "You know what?" She pointed her head and her thumb toward the door at the far end of the hallway. "I'm just going to... yeah." With an awkward smile, she trotted off.

"Paige... Baby! Where did you get this dress?" Emily's hands found themselves all over Paige, settling onto her ass again.

"I know, right? It's not really me, is it?" Paige kept self-consciously tugging the hemline down and the neckline up. Paige would have felt much more comfortable in a nice pair of slacks and a button-down blouse, but she wasn't thinking of herself when she decided on the dress.

"You look so hot! Seriously - where did you get it? I've never seen it in your closet."

Paige shrugged. "I picked it up for tonight. I wanted to look nice for you. You always look so hot for me."

Emily smiled sincerely and leaned in for what was supposed to be a thank-you kiss, but, with her hands still magnetically attracted to Paige's ass, the kiss quickly escalated.

"You don't think that it's too much?" Paige asked, pulling back slightly.

"Paige, if there's one thing that this dress is not, it's too much!" Emily lifted Paige's hand above her head and gave her a twirl, weighing in on the sight with a wolf-whistle. She pouted slightly and asked, "Are you going to be sitting with the coaches all night?"

"No way, Em! I'm your date, remember? Do you think that I'd dress up like this for the coaches?" The coaches didn't usually bring dates to the awards banquet, but the team did.

"You did it for me?"

"Mostly for you," Paige nodded. "Also, though, I wanted to send a message to anyone who may have eyes for you. Let them know what kind of competition they're up against."

"There is no competition," Emily said definitively, moving in for yet another kiss. The cumulative effect of the kisses was making Paige weak in the knees.

"Shit, Em! Are you sure that we have to go to this thing?"

Emily laughed. "Of course we're going! I've got the hottest date - do you think that I'm _not_ going to show you off?"

"Second-hottest," Paige corrected.

Emily was confused for a second before it hit her. "Let's just say," she said, grabbing her purse and Paige's hand, "that we're _both_ hot!" Paige dipped down to grab the bouquet of roses and toss them inside the room before Emily locked the door behind them.

Emily was a step behind Paige, still holding her hand, all the way to the car. She was smiling to herself as she gazed down to Paige's tattoo. Of course, Emily got to see it all the time, but she wasn't used to seeing it when Paige was dressed up to go out. It seemed, somehow, forbidden; taboo, in this context; as if Paige were wearing a see-through blouse in public. That aspect was only adding to Emily's titillation.

"Enjoying the view back there?" Paige teased, assuming that Emily was checking out her ass. After all, Emily had been unable keep her hands off of it back in the dorm. As she turned around quickly, trying to catch Emily in the act, she was surprised to see that Emily's eyes were focused lower. She looked self-consciously down to see whether she had a a cut on her leg or maybe some toilet paper stuck to her heel, before she realized what was going on. " _Still_ , Emily?" she asked, a little giddy at the thought that Emily still enjoyed sneaking peeks at her tattoo.

"Maybe I should get one to match." Emily proposed.

"If you _do_ get a tattoo, do I get a vote on where it goes?"

Emily smiled and gave Paige a kiss. "If I get to vote where your next one goes," she said, giving her date's ass another squeeze.

* * *

Emily couldn't keep her hand off of Paige's thigh under the table at the banquet. She couldn't keep it from roaming upwards, either. She understood why it was that Paige liked to see her in dresses so much.

The dress that Emily wore to the dinner a more formal length. It was snug against her curves, ending in a slight flare around her ankles. Paige was frustrated, not that Emily's dress didn't afford her the same access to Emily's thighs that Emily was enjoying on Paige's short dress, but that she and Emily were still wearing their dresses at all. Paige was drumming her fingers against the table and running them through her hair, fidgeting and sighing like an impatient toddler on time-out. Emily didn't know whether to scold her with a glare or placate her with a kiss. She was afraid that a kiss would only make Paige want to get out of there and back to someplace private even faster. With that in mind, she thought better of the way that her hand was exploring Paige's thigh, so she moved it back into her own lap. Paige petulantly grabbed it and returned it to where Emily had put it to begin with.

The awards ceremony went pretty much as expected. Paige presented Sydney the award for most improved swimmer. Emily took the freshman prize, and she was in the running for Swimmer of the Year. Coach Murphy presented Emily's award. Paige may have been responsible for Sydney's improvement, but Coach Murphy wanted full credit for recruiting Emily. He also wanted to get in a not-so-subtle hint that the team could use her talents for the remaining three years of her eligibility. Emily smiled and gave gracious thank-yous to her team, giving nothing of her intentions away.

She was an amateur in the true sense of the word. She swam for the love of swimming.

She was interrupted from these musings when she felt Paige staring at her. She looked over to see a "can we go now?" look on Paige's impatient face. "Don't you have to stay and do – coach-stuff?" Emily asked. Paige responded with a world-class pout. "God, Paige! Who's the adult here?"

"I seem to recall someone who couldn't keep her hands off this dress back in the dorm," Paige whispered into Emily's ear, giving it a tug as she pulled her lips away.

Emily eyed Paige from top to bottom, longingly. "Yeah, you know what?" she said, remembering the way that she felt inside when she opened the door to Paige a couple of hours ago, "Fuck it. Let's just get out of here."

* * *

Emily pulled out her keys and walked briskly to the driver's side of Paige's car. Paige didn't understand. "I haven't been drinking, Em." As a coach, she couldn't really have violated the no-drinking policy even if she had wanted to.

"I don't want you driving while distracted," Emily said firmly.

"Distracted?"

"You're about to be," Emily said as she got behind the wheel. She sat there for a moment, hands firmly gripping the wheel. But before Paige could buckle up her seat belt, Emily turned on her, smearing her lipstick and Paige's across their faces as she gave Paige a bruising kiss, her hands roughly palming Paige's breasts through her beaded dress. Emily hadn't felt this hot in Paige's car since the night of their first date, when her mom interrupted her as she and Paige made out in the driveway. This time was different. Back then, they did nothing but kiss. This time, Emily had free access to all of Paige.

She shook her mind clear. _Not here,_ she thought to herself. She pushed her palms down in front of her as she took a series of calming breaths. Then, she flipped down her visor and casually straightened her lipstick in the mirror.

Paige had just about recovered from the unexpected lip-bruising when Emily put the car in gear and backed out of the parking spot. Before Paige's head had fully cleared, though, the hand that had just been desperately grinding the gear-shift was even more desperately snaking its way under Paige's dress. Paige was doing her best to keep herself in the seat as her hips bucked into Emily's touch. _Yeah_ , she realized, _definitely too distracted to drive._ Paige couldn't silence or even tone down the moans that she was making, especially when Emily's thumb strayed into contact with her soaked thong.

When they stopped at a light, Emily cast aside any remaining restraint, pushing the flimsy thong to the side while, at the same time, she pushed her tongue deep into Paige's mouth. She backed off only when she heard the car next to them start to accelerate, signaling that the light changed. Emily pulled her head and hands away from Paige just in time to see the thumbs up that the other driver gave her as he slowly pulled ahead of them. Emily just smiled back at him, declining to flash her glistening thumb back at him. She was too far gone to feel embarrassed at what he had witnessed. Besides, who could blame her for wanting to make out with Paige at a stop light?

Her only regret was that she didn't hit a lot more stop lights.

Paige couldn't have handled many more stop lights. She was already on the verge of coming all over her upholstery. She took advantage of Emily's momentary distraction with the business of driving the car and turned the air conditioning up to max, tilting all of the louvers on her - first, her face, then her crotch.

She wasn't even close to cooling down when Emily's welcome hand found its way back across the console and onto the passenger's side. They were mercifully only a few yards from Paige's building, but Emily couldn't wait.

* * *

Anyone looking at the way that Paige's car had been pulled into its parking spot would have concluded that the person who parked it had been drunk, but Emily wasn't, of course. She was just in a hurry. And she couldn't give a shit.

Paige took off her heels, but, still, she was having trouble walking. Her thong was uncomfortably wet, and she was throbbing. Emily was impatiently yanking her along to the main entrance. Paige silently prayed that this was one of those nights when the doorman was asleep behind his desk.

No such luck.

"Good evening, ladies," he said as he always did. As if nothing were going on. As if Emily's lipstick wasn't plastered all over Paige's face and cleavage. As if the neckline of Paige's dress hadn't been stretched by Emily's rough hands, to the point that her chest was almost tumbling out of it. As if Paige's tiny clutch was large to hide the reddened flesh on the inside of her thighs.

"How's it going tonight, Jacob?" Emily asked sweetly. Honestly, sometimes Paige had to wonder whether her girlfriend was a sociopath.

Normally, they took the steps up to Paige's fourth floor apartment. The elevator was too slow. Paige wondered why Emily led them to the elevator that night. She would have expected Emily to be too impatient. When the doors opened and she found herself slammed against the far wall under the force of Emily's desperate kisses, she understood. Emily was in a hurry, but, at least, she could get started in the elevator.

Emily backed Paige all the way to her door, grinding into her as Paige frantically reached around in her clutch for the keys.

Once they were inside the apartment, Emily abandoned any semblance of restraint. She gasped when she heard a ripping noise and saw Paige's dress fall to the floor.

"Fuck it!" Paige yelled when she saw the apologetic, half-panicked look on Emily's face at what she had done in her lust-addled haste. All that Paige cared about was getting Emily's hands back to work on her, and she grabbed them, pushing them onto her breasts. As their tongues dueled, Paige managed to undo the long zipper on the back of Emily's dress, which floated, as if in slow motion, to the floor, unveiling an epiphany of black lace against golden skin. Paige stumbled in place at the sight, and a smirk found its way across Emily's face for an instant before it transformed into a seductive smile as she led Paige by the hand to her bedroom.

Paige could sense that things were slowing down. Never had her senses been so delightfully mistaken. Emily was still revving up.

It would prove to be a long night.

* * *

Paige was on her knees at the foot of the bed, grimacing as she pounded furiously into Emily, who was lying back with her legs flopped over the edge. Emily had a hand above her head, pulling her hair out of the way. The other hand was pinching her nipple. Paige grabbed that hand, moving it to the side of Emily's body, and clenching it tight. She wanted to see Emily's breasts bouncing under the impetus of the pounding that she was giving. Paige's hair was plastered to her face by the sweat that she had worked up. Emily looked up, enthralled, as occasional drops of perspiration flew from Paige's auburn locks while she gritted her teeth and stabbed in and out, rubbing her shoulder against her head from time to time to clear the perspiration away.

Emily was moaning, biting her lip, and spewing out nasty language as Paige kept up her steady pace. She reached down to stroke her clit, and, with a high-pitched squeal, she was done. Paige stilled for a moment as Emily came down. When she lightly stroked Paige's cheek, Paige collapsed in between her thighs, both of them thoroughly exhausted.


	32. The Drunk Night

Emily was sitting on Paige's bed while Paige applied a little bit of make-up, puckering as she checked her lipstick in the mirror. Once she dropped the lipstick into her purse, she turned to look at Emily, and asked, "Are you sure that I can't convince you to come with us?"

Emily stood with a dismissive smile and a shake of the head. "On your drunken old-timers' fest? Thanks, but I'll pass. You go and have a great time!"

"Emily, they'd love to have you. We'd all love for you to come. You won't feel out of place."

Emily put her hands on Paige's waist as she leaned in too kiss her. "Go," she said. "Have a great time."

Paige pouted.

"Make sure that you call me if you need a ride, okay?" Emily had her hands on Paige's chest and was giving her a sincere look. "I'll even take all of your drunken friends home, or back to their hotel, or whatever." She looked deep into Paige's pupils. "Just call me, okay? I don't care how late it is." She gave Paige a kiss that was full of concern.

"I'd better get going," Paige said, returning the kiss, "if you're sure that I can't convince you?"

Emily hugged her girlfriend and mouthed the word, "Go."

Since the swim team was busy during Penn State's Homecoming, a couple of the swimmers from Paige's era had begun coming back for a reunion near the end of the academic year. It was a way to reconnect with each other and some of the members of their team who were still undergrads or who were graduating that year. It never became an official event, but the coaching staff appreciated it, unofficially, at least, for the way that it cemented the Penn State tradition in the hearts and minds of their swimmers. It became a rite of passage for the juniors and seniors. Emily, still a freshman, didn't want to use her girlfriend status to crash the party.

* * *

Paige looked around the table with a huge smile on her face. She was surrounded by some of her greatest friends in the world. The bond that they had formed in their days of swimming together had lasted them through the years. They had laughed and cried together, fought for and with each other, celebrated together, and drowned their sorrows together. This, she realized, was what Emily would lose out on, if she decided to go pro. Of course, she would make friends of the other swimmers, but it wouldn't be the same as the tried-by-fire camaraderie forged by swimming with a team. It was something that Paige didn't want Emily to miss out on.

_Emily._

There was one thing missing from Paige's otherwise perfect evening. She needed Emily next to her, holding her hand, giving her the occasional cuddle and peck. Paige missed her so much that she reached for her phone, even though she knew that it was against the rules. She tried to be surreptitious as she swiped the phone unlocked, but she was busted.

"Hey! Spike! Grab Skit's phone!"

"Wait!" Paige tried to explain, slurring her words a little in her drunken state, "I wasn't going to call Emily! I just needed to look at her picture!"

She realized what a mistake that admission was as soon as the words left her mouth and the chorus of "Whipped! Whipped! Whipped!" began.

"You know what that means, McCullers," Bernadette said as she refilled Paige's shot glass.

* * *

Emily scurried awake when she heard the sound of a key scratching around in the lock accompanied by drunken giggling in the hallway. After catching up on a little bit of work, she had fallen asleep on Paige's couch, still dressed so that she would be ready to go and pick Paige up, if she got the call. She decided that it would be best if she waited at Paige's apartment, figuring that, if Paige called early in the morning, she wouldn't have to disturb Sydney on her way out of the dorm to pick up Paige and her friends. A glance at the clock on the microwave showed that her instincts had been correct: It was after two. Paige and her friends had, apparently, closed the bars down.

Emily opened the door and Paige, startled, slipped back for a moment before she and the drunk woman on whom she was leaning for support burst into laughter. "Emily!" she said with excitement, "What are you doing here?" Before Emily could answer, Paige fell into her with a kiss. Emily could taste all of Paige's poor choices on her breath.

Paige straightened herself up and smoothed out her blouse, as if trying to make a good impression. "Emily, this is Tosca, my swimmer friend. Tosca, this is Emily, my ladyfriend."

_Ladyfriend?_

Emily still hadn't managed to get a word out when Paige continued. "Now, if you two beautiful people will excuse me, I've got an appointment with a toilet bowl." With no further explanation, she pushed past Emily toward the bathroom.

Emily rolled her eyes. _Classy._ Tosca put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry," she said, with what came across as a British accent, "Skit doesn't realize that she can't throw down the way that she used to back when she was in uni."

Emily smiled skeptically, not really sure what to make of things. Tosca fished around in her handbag, ultimately coming up with Paige's car keys, which she handed to Emily.

Emily came to her senses enough to realize that Tosca would need a way home. "Thanks," she said, taking the keys. "I'll give you a ride. Let me just make sure that Paige is okay."

"Actually, the taxicab's downstairs waiting for me, so..." She gave Emily a hug. "It's nice to meet you." She gave Emily's shoulder a squeeze, adding, "Paige really loves you, you know."

Emily smiled to herself, mostly at Tosca's affirmation of Paige's love, but also, somewhat, at the knowledge that there was a cab waiting to take Tosca away. Of course, she trusted Paige, but she couldn't help the thoughts that ran through her head when she saw her girlfriend arm in arm with another woman at two o'clock in the morning. Even if the plan was for Tosca to sleep on the couch, Emily didn't know the girl, or what she was capable while drunk.

"Thanks for getting her home safe," Emily heard herself saying, mirroring Tosca's shoulder-squeeze. She leaned sideways against the door after she closed it, relieved that Paige was home. Safe.

She was jerked back into the present by the unearthly sounds coming from the bathroom. She hustled back there to find Paige, her hair loosely gathered into a bun on top of her head, hugging the toilet bowl and singing Penn State fight songs into it.

Emily initially recoiled at the sight, but then she burst out laughing. Paige looked up at her and smiled at Emily's laughter, waving her hand to summon her over. "Emily! Emily! You've got to hear this! The reverb is incredible!"

Emily shook her head and headed over. She was about to kneel next to Paige, to check out the sound, when she got wind of what else Paige had been doing face down into the bowl. She eased Paige up off of her knees and gave the toilet a second - perhaps third - flush to take care of the residue. She wet a washcloth and dabbed it at Paige's face. "Come on, _Skit_ ," she said resignedly. "Let's get some food in that stomach."

Paige sighed, lifting her shoulders and letting them drop again. "I love you so much, Emily," she asserted, smiling contentedly.

"Yeah, so I've heard," Emily said, bemused.

"Everybody knows. It's not a secret," Paige explained, drunkenly. Her eyes perked up as she turned to Emily and said, "Guess what they called you tonight!"

Emily didn't have a clue. She wasn't sure that she wanted to know.

"My _Wifey_ ," Paige answered proudly. "Wife-y," she repeated, hitting on both syllables with a laugh, as if the name itself, and not its implications, was what she found so amusing. "How about it, Emily," Paige began, as Emily tugged her toward the kitchen. "Will you be my wife-y?" Paige started giggling.

Emily stopped in her tracks and turned on Paige. "Oh, no. You did _not_ just drunk-propose to me, McCullers!"

"Oh, just _marry_ me," Paige shouted. "Can we even do that in PA?" she paused for a second, looking utterly confused. "Fuck it!" she said at last. "We'll get married in Hawaii!"

"Paige..." Emily was trying to be patient.

"You don't want to marry me?" The look on Paige's face was pitiable.

Emily let out a grunt. She had gone from nurturing to frustrated. "Paige, _of course_ I'm going to marry you. But not soon. And not without a proper proposal!" Paige was about to drop down to one knee when Emily added, "When you're sober."

Paige was chastened, but her face brightened at Emily's statement that she was going to marry her. "Yay!" she said, silently clapping her hands before she took Emily's hand again, letting her lead the way down the hall to the kitchen.

Emily quickly toasted a couple of slices of bread, just to get something in Paige's stomach that might help soak up whatever was still rolling around in there. Toast, she hoped, wouldn't make things any worse.

* * *

Emily heard - and felt - Paige giggling in the bed behind her. She groaned in exhaustion and exasperation. She had finally managed to get Paige out of her clothes and into something that she could sleep in - after what felt like struggling to dress a two-year-old. A drunk two-year old. She was desperately trying to get at least a couple of hours of sleep in, but it was obvious that sleep wasn't going to happen. "What's so funny?" she asked, much more annoyed than curious, as she turned to face Paige.

"Hey, Em! Em! Let's have some _pre-marital sex_!" Paige drew out the syllables. "You know, like our hen night?"

Emily sighed. "Our _what_ night?"

"I don't know," Paige giggled. "Tosca kept talking about it. I think it's like a bachelorette party. I just know that I get to sleep with you. 'Cause you're my wifey," she concluded with a goofy grin.

Emily rubbed her forehead, trying to keep her cool. "Paige, you are _not_ calling me that. Not now, not ever."

"But we still get to sleep together?"

"Paige. You're drunk." Emily was beginning to understand why Paige had slept in a sleeping bag the evening when Emily turned up drunk after the swim team's victory party.

"I'm cool! I'm cool!" Paige tried her best to frown, her drunken mind thinking that it was the giggling that had convinced Emily that she was drunk.

Emily kissed Paige's forehead, placing a concerned hand on her cheek. "Go to sleep, Paige."

"Please, Em? I can make you feel _so good_..." Paige said with a teasing lilt. "I'll take you to your happy place!" she sang.

Emily shook her head and groaned before she sat up in the bed. Paige was confused. "Hey - where are you going?"

"I'm sleeping on the couch, Paige. I love you too much to take advantage of you when you're drunk."

"No, no! Stay!" Paige begged. "I'll be good, I promise!"

"Paige..."

"Please? I just want to hold you, Emily."

Emily sighed, staring into Paige's pleading, glassy eyes.

"I wanted to hold you all night, but you weren't there. Don't make me sleep alone," Paige added, with puppy-dog eyes.

Emily huffed and lay back down. Paige bounced in joy, wrapping her arms around Emily and kissing her neck repeatedly through her thick, dark hair.

"Jeez, Paige," Emily whined in desire at the feeling of Paige's lips, "Why do you have to be so wasted right now?"

* * *

Emily lay uncomfortable in Paige's arms for several minutes before she finally turned around and voiced her concern. "Why didn't you call me tonight?" She twisted lock of Paige's hair to let her know that she wasn't mad. Just concerned.

"I tried to, Em. But they confiscated my phone. 'No Wives Allowed.'"

Emily shrugged and rolled back over, clutching Paige's arm tight around her. "You should've called," she said into her pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Babe." Paige kissed Emily on the cheek.

Emily nodded with a sigh. "Well, you're here, now. Just hold me."

* * *

Paige stumbled into the kitchen, looking and feeling a lot like the contents of her stomach that she had expelled into the toilet bowl when she got back to her apartment a few hours earlier. She wrapped her hands around a mug of coffee that was on the counter. "This for me?" she asked, and Emily turned and nodded, placing a sympathetic hand on Paige's shoulder.

"Sorry that I got so wrecked last night," Paige said, rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyeballs.

Emily smiled. "It looked as though you guys had fun."

"We did," Paige said, reaching both arms over her head in a stretch. "You should've come with me." Her hands plopped down to her sides. "Paying for it now, though," she said, and wiped her hand down her face, from forehead to chin.

"How much do you remember?"

Paige perked up, suddenly smiling. "I remember that you said that you would marry me!"

Emily laughed. "Yeah, I did." Paige danced a little against the counter. Emily continued, slowly and deliberately, enunciating as if she were talking to a visitor who didn't speak English well, "But not for a long time. And not with that, 'Marry me, wifey' proposal."

"Oh, Em!" Paige said jovially, standing up fully and going over to hug Emily from behind, "when I propose, it's going to be so romantic. It'll knock your socks off. There's no way that you'll be able to say no to me," she concluded, planting a kiss on the side of Emily's neck.

Emily reached back and cupped Paige's face, to keep it where it was. "I didn't say no to that piece-of-shit proposal last night, did I?" she pointed out with a smile. "Besides," she said, a bit more serious as she turned around in Paige's arms, "who says that _I_ won't be the one who proposes to _you_?"

Paige snuck in a kiss. "Maybe you will."

* * *


	33. The Road Taken

As soon as the season ended, the visits from agents began. Coach Murphy and Paige wee there for all of the meetings, and one of the university's lawyers was always on hand, to ensure that nothing was given or offered that would imperil Emily's eligibility, in case she decided against going pro.

Although the fact that Paige was Emily's coach had complicated things during swim season, Emily was grateful for it during recruiting season, since it meant that Paige could participate in the meetings. Emily felt a little over her head, and it was good to have another set of ears in the room with her; - someone who wasn't looking out for the university, the team, or the sponsors, but who was primarily focused on Emily.

She only wished that she could have held Paige's hand during the meetings. Paige always took the opportunity to give Emily a smile or a reassuring look, just to let her know that she was with her.

The agents all painted a rosy picture. At first, Emily had a hard time not squirming when they talked about her talent and potential. Paige helped to ground her by reminding her that, while she truly was a fantastic swimmer, the agents would whatever they could to build her up to get on her good side - and to get her guard down. She had to look past what they were saying and concentrate on getting what she needed out of the meeting. "It's just like all the trash-talkers whom you swim against," Paige advised her. "Forget about what they say, and just worry about what they're bringing to the table."

Some of the agents advised her to set school aside and concentrate on her career. They would be plenty of time to resume her schooling once she retired, they assured her. She dismissed those agents out of hand. She knew that, if she got injured or decided to stop swimming professionally for some other reason before it became lucrative, none of them would be around to help her figure out how she could pay for college. And, even if she did garner a lot of endorsements ended up retiring in good enough financial shape to be able to afford to pay her way through school, it would be a different experience - attending college with classmates who were five or ten years younger than her. There was nothing wrong with going back to school later in life, but she wanted to go when she would enjoy the college experience, not when she would be looking on at it from an older, world-weary perspective, either amused or annoyed.

Other scouts proposed alternative ways to finish her studies, with on-line studies and tutors. They cautioned that it was a much more difficult way to go, and that it would take longer. Once again, it occurred to Emily that what they were offering was an education without the college experience.

No one recommended what Emily wanted: The opportunity to finish her degree at Penn State and pursue her swimming career on the side, on weekends and on school breaks. Some acknowledged that it was possible, but that it would slow her professional progress, putting her behind her peers.

When she and Paige discussed it, Paige pointed out that the scouts were approaching it from the point of view that Emily wanted to be a professional swimmer first and foremost, and to get an education as her career allowed. "Is that what you want?"

Emily shook her head. "That's just it, Paige. Swimming professionally was never my idea in the first place. I was happy just swimming with the girls, being a student, and dating the best girlfriend on the planet."

"Thanks," Paige said, smiling warmly. "So, this sounds like an easy decision, then?"

"God - I don't know, Paige. It just sounds like such a great opportunity." Emily leaned in closer to Paige, and Paige kissed the top of her head. "What would you do, Paige?" Before Paige could answer, Emily added, "And don't say that I should do what's best for me. I know that, okay? I just really want to know what _you_ would do."

Paige paused for a moment of thought before she answered. "Okay, well, first of all, I can't really say, because I was never in that position, but based on what I've heard in all these meetings, I would have to think that it would be an easy decision for me. I guess, when I had that reunion with the swimmers last month, I realized how much those relationships meant to me. It wasn't just the girls; it was everything that we went through as a team. I wouldn't trade that for anything - not endorsements, not the best training facilities, not my name in the record books. I wouldn't close that door. I would tell them, 'Thank you, but I need to enjoy being young right now. When I'm ready to give my heart and soul fully to swimming professionally, I hope you'll be in touch.'"

"Do you think that they _will_ be?"

"Absolutely!" Paige replied without hesitation. "But, let's be honest: They might not be, Emily. Things can change. Anything can happen. Would you still pick college even if you knew that this was your last chance shot at going pro?"

Emily nodded into Paige's shoulder. "As I said, this wasn't my dream to begin with."

Paige tightened her arm around Emily, pulling her in for a hug. "I think that you're making the right decision."

Emily thanked her with a kiss. "I still want to talk it over with my parents, though."

"Of course!"

* * *

Emily wasn't the only one who had a decision to make. Paige was also at a crossroads, torn between pursuing a coaching or an academic career.

"What do you think, Em?"

Emily smiled. "I can't tell you what to decide."

"No, but you have a big stake in the decision."

Emily took a long pause before she spoke. "Paige, to be honest, the only thing I want is to be able to live with you next year. I got the whole dormitory experience, and Sydney was a great roommate, but..." Emily started to choke up. "Not living with you really sucked."

There was a time, not long before this conversation, when Emily would have felt too guilty at the though of holding Paige back, or too needy about not being able to live apart from her, to have admitted how she felt. But they had reached the point where she could be honest with Paige about what she was feeling. She knew that Paige would be just as honest in her response. Not only that, but she knew that Paige didn't like living apart any more than she did.

Paige sighed. "I had a talk with Coach Murphy about that." Emily looked up from Paige's shoulder, knowing from the way that Paige had started that it wasn't good news.

"Coach said that they can't encourage that living arrangement, especially given what's gone on in Penn State's recent history."

Emily tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Paige, she realized, was still considering remaining on staff, even though would mean that that they couldn't live together. "I would never make you choose between me and doing what you love, Paige." Emily hated the fact that tears were forming in her eyes. She didn't want to play on Paige's feelings to get what she wanted. But she couldn't stop her tear ducts from doing their work.

"Hey," Paige said, cradling Emily's face in her hands and brushing her tears aside with her thumbs, "I'd choose you every time!"

"You don't have to say that, Paige. Okay, so this year was hard, but we got through it."

Paige looked directly into her eyes, still holding her face between her palms. "Emily, you _know_ that I'm not just saying it."

Emily nodded. She did know. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry that I'm keeping you from pursuing your dreams."

"I've already got my dream, Emily. Right here," she said with a kiss.

Emily sat up and put her hand on Paige's chest. "But _you_ always tell _me_ to think of myself, Paige!"

Paige smiled, "I can only say that, Emily, because I know that I'd be there with you, whatever you decide."

Emily nodded. "So, what now?" she sighed.

Paige shrugged. "There are other coaching opportunities," she said.

"I thought Coach said that it was okay if you moved to the recruiting office."

"He said that about my conflict in being your girlfriend and your coach," Paige replied. "Also, he just threw that out when we met together. Since then, he got some advice from the school's lawyers."

"So, what are you going to do?"

Paige shrugged with a comforting smile. "Don't know yet."

Emily nodded.

"It'll be _fine_ , Emily."

Emily hugged her close. She believed Paige, that it would be fine, but she was allowed to be worried.

* * *

Emily spent the summer after her freshman year working out at a facility in Texas, near her parents, to get a taste of what pro training would be like. She and her parents had to pay for the training themselves, in order for Emily to remain eligible to swim at Penn State.

Paige was only too happy to follow Emily to Texas, staying with the Fieldses in their cozy little apartment. It was weird, at first, staying with Emily's parents, without Emily, who was living in the dormitories at the training facility – "sleepaway swim camp," as Paige called it. Emily enjoyed the facilities: the pool, the track, the weight room, and the film and study rooms. She flourished under the attention of the coaching staff, and she relished being in an environment where she was among peers who could challenge her in the pool. She found it a little cut-throat, though, and not so much fun. And she hated not being able to come home to Paige in the evening.

Paige reminded her that she still had a couple of years before she had to decide whether or not it was right for her. "Just think about what it's going to feel like when all those endorsement deals come in," she teased. "I can't wait to get my Emily Fields cereal box!"

Emily shoved her, giggling shyly. "Paige..."

"Better trademark that signature, Em! I'm just saying!"

* * *

Paige, having completed her Master's degree that spring, spent much of the summer doing research at the University of Texas' Austin campus. She was determined that, whatever happened with coaching, she would complete her PhD before she pursued it as a career. She was able to get back to teaching, a bit, taking an adjunct position at the university, teaching the three-strikes-and-you're-out English 101 summer course to students whose only motivation to learn was the fear of getting kicked out of their houses if they got kicked out of school. Even so, she found that she enjoyed teaching. It was a different sort of rush than the one that coaching provided, but seeing someone turn the corner and actually start to enjoy English was definitely a rush.

With her newly rediscovered passion for teaching, the decision about which path pursue in the fall became much easier. She hoped that, at some point in the future, she could do both - teach and coach - even though that would most likely mean high school rather than college. In the meantime, she was more than happy to return to the classroom and give coaching a rest.

* * *

Wayne Fields was able to arrange some leave around the July 4th holiday, and they enjoyed a long, family weekend at West Lake Beach on Lake Austin. Paige liked the sound of that: "Family Weekend." It certainly felt like family.

They spent the last week of their summer break with Paige's family in Maryland. As always seemed to be the case in their relationship, there was water involved. They rented a boat and went crabbing, giving Emily her first taste of fresh Maryland crabs.

They passed through Rosewood on their way back to State College and caught up with the girls. Shana's girlfriend, Irene - the one whom they had met in Delaware when Shana stopped by on her way to introduce Irene to her parents - had moved in with her. Paige and Emily still couldn't quite figure out their relationship, but they decided just to be happy with them. Shana showed some signs of softening, and it was obvious that was Irene was happy with whatever it was that they had together.

Hanna and Caleb had moved in together, too, into a cramped apartment above a second-hand shop. The owner was a local seamstress and designer with whom Hanna had connected as she worked to get into the fashion industry, and she gave Hanna some work handling the cash register at the shop and doing some alterations on the side, in lieu of rent on the apartment. In addition to being a great deal for Hanna and Caleb, it was a great opportunity for Hanna to network with others in the industry, and she found herself getting more visibility and more work in the greater Philadelphia area.

Aria and Spencer were both making plans to move to Europe. Aria was heading to the south of France, to let the Mediterranean coast inspire her painting while Ezra taught and did research. Spencer was headed to England on a fellowship to Cambridge. She convinced Toby to take a year off and join her. She ended up spending the first couple of months alone, while Toby got his visa straightened out.

When the catch-up weekend ended, Paige and Emily moved into their first apartment of their own, off-campus.

* * *

Emily kissed Paige, who was still in bed, as she headed out of the apartment, on her way to swim practice. Paige flailed around looking for a clock. It was the first day of class, and she didn't want to be late. Emily calmed her with a hand on her shoulder. "Relax. It's only 5:15. You can stay in bed for a couple more hours. Lucky."

"Love you," Paige called out before she fell asleep again.

Emily was the first one out of the pool and into the showers after practice. She got dressed quickly, but she didn't rush getting her hair and make-up together. She wanted to make a good impression on the first day of class.

She walked swiftly, constantly checking her watch. She knew that the auditorium would be packed for the first lecture, and she wanted to get a seat in the center of the front row.

Paige was rushing to get to her first class, too. She had gotten up and out of the apartment in plenty of time, but she forgot how busy Starbucks was on the first day of classes. She breathed a sigh as she stepped through the door with barely a minute to spare. She took a quick look around the auditorium to get a feel for the number and make-up of the students. When her eyes landed on the gorgeous woman smiling confidently at her from the front row, her jaw dropped and her heart skipped a beat. She took a quick look at her class roster to confirm that she was either dreaming or hallucinating. It was a freshman survey course. What would Emily be doing there?

But there she was, front and center, with that beautiful smile on her face.

"Emily?" Paige mouthed through her smile, not actually saying the name out loud. Emily lifted her hand off the desk a bit, bending her fingers in a wave.

The smile on Paige's face stayed there for the entire 50 minutes of class.

"Ms. Fields, can you hang on a few minutes?" Paige asked when it was over.

"Still keeping me after class on the first day, Ms. McCullers?" Emily asked when she got up to the dais in the front of the auditorium. Paige's last name had never sounded so beautiful to her in all her life.

"What a sweet surprise," Paige said, the smile still plastered across her face. It took everything that she had to keep herself from giving Emily a hug and kiss, and risking being reported by some well-intentioned but misguided freshman.

"Can I buy you coffee?" Emily asked.

"Yes, Emily," Paige said, finally grabbing her girlfriend by the hand, "I believe you can!"

As they shared a brew and some light displays of affection, Emily smiled to herself as she reflected on her journey from bashful freshman at Hollis to confident sophomore at Penn State. She realized that her life over the past two years had really been kind of a fairy tale.

The Fates, she concluded, didn't hate her after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for spending some time with this story! I honestly love you all.


End file.
